Vikram Vij
Vikram Vij | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964 India |
| Occupation(s) | Chef, cookbook author, television personality |
| Known for | Proprietor of Vij's and Rangoli Restaurant; judge on Dragons' Den (Canada) |
Vikram Vij (born 1964) is a Canadian chef, cookbook author, and television figure originally from India. He is the proprietor of the Indian dining establishments Vij's and Rangoli Restaurant located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Vij also operated My Shanti in South Surrey, BC, which ceased operations in 2024. In 2014, he became a "dragon" investor on the ninth season of the Canadian reality series Dragons' Den, departing after that season concluded.
Raised across Amritsar, Delhi, and Bombay in India, Vikram Vij left his home country in 1983 to pursue studies in Hotel and Motel Management in Salzburg, Austria. It was there that he completed his chef training and later earned certification as a sommelier.
Career
Following his culinary work in Salzburg and Vienna, Vij relocated to Canada in 1989 and joined the staff at the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta. Between 1992 and 1994, he gained experience at Bishop's restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia, working under renowned Canadian chef John Bishop.
At age 30, in 1994, Vij established his upscale dining venue, Vij's, in Vancouver. In the early days, his parents contributed by preparing curry dishes at home and transporting them by bus to the restaurant. By 2003, Vij's had earned acclaim from Mark Bittman of The New York Times, who described it as "among the finest Indian restaurants worldwide."
In 2004, he introduced a second establishment called Rangoli—a more casual restaurant combined with a market—that offers a range of pre-packaged gourmet curries branded as "Vij's Inspired Indian Cuisine." To support rising retailer demand, Vij inaugurated a food processing plant in 2011. This product line is available throughout Canadian grocery outlets and food service venues including Whistler Mountain and Loblaws City Markets.
Vij has published two cookbooks: Vij's: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine (2006), which received multiple honors such as Cuisine Canada's Gold Award for Best Cookbook, and Vij's at Home: Relax Honey (2010), which earned second place at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Since 2007, he has been a regular contributor to The Globe and Mail and is currently collaborating with partner Jaan on an upcoming cookbook titled *Vijs Restaurant 2025*.
In 2012, Vij launched Vij's Railway Express, a mobile food truck offering Indian curry dishes for weekday lunches and private catering events throughout downtown Vancouver.
My Shanti opened in South Surrey in 2014 with a menu influenced by Vij’s international culinary experiences. The restaurant was honored with Vancouver Magazine’s Best Indian Restaurant award in 2016 but was announced to close by Vij in November 2023 after nearly a decade of operation.
The economic challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of the Rangoli location on South Granville in May 2020. Its menu was subsequently merged with that of Vij’s on Cambie Street.
Culinary philosophy
Chef Vikram Vij’s approach to cooking focuses on preserving authentic Indian spices and traditional techniques while incorporating locally sourced meats, seafood, and fresh produce. He distances himself from the term fusion cuisine, emphasizing genuine preparation methods instead. Sustainability is also central to his kitchen operations and ingredient choices. Remarkably, two of his restaurants maintain an all-female kitchen team.
Personal life
Vikram Vij is currently partnered with his girlfriend Jaan and finalized his divorce from his first wife in 2015. He has a passion for travel, culinary experiences, and wine tours, with several events scheduled in the near future. Known for his expertise in wine, Vij has been featured as a sommelier in Sharp Magazine and lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Noteworthy career achievements
In 1998, Vij's Restaurant was showcased at the James Beard Annual Gala Awards and received an invitation to serve dinner at the James Beard House. By 2001, Vij became a member of the esteemed Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. He took part in the 2012 Varli Food Festival in Manhattan alongside renowned chefs Padma Lakshmi and Sanjeev Kapoor.
His dining establishments have accumulated numerous honors, such as several awards from Vancouver Magazine and a top-five placement by Gourmet magazine in 1999. In 2015, Vancouver Magazine named Vij Chef of the Year, and in 2011 he was awarded Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year for the Pacific region in hospitality and tourism.
Vij’s restaurants have been highlighted on platforms like Food Network Canada, CNN, The Globe and Mail, The New York Times, among other prominent media sources. Omni Television created a documentary titled A Day In The Life of… Vij's, offering an insider’s perspective on the operations led by Vij and Dhalwala. He appeared on Food Network Canada’s show At the Table With in 2008, while Vij's Rangoli was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. Additionally, he cooked alongside Giada De Laurentiis on her Food Network program.
He served as a guest judge on Top Chef Canada during 2011 and 2012, including an episode centered on Indian cuisine that showcased his Vij's At Home packaged products. Starting in 2014, he also judged on Chopped Canada and made weekly appearances on CBC’s Recipe to Riches.
In 2011, Vij earned the Rising Star Award from the BC Food Processors Association. His restaurant Vij's Railway Express was honored with Air Canada’s enRoute Magazine People's Choice Award for Canada's Best New Restaurant in 2013.
March 2013 marked Vij’s hosting of the world’s first live-streamed cook-along event, Cook Live With Vikram Vij, designed to bring Indian cooking to a wider audience through interactive online participation.
My Shanti was ranked number one among the Globe and Mail’s Top 10 New Vancouver Restaurants of 2014 and was also recognized by the Vancouver Sun as one of that year’s Best New Restaurants. In 2016, it won Vancouver Magazine’s Best Indian Restaurant award. Soon after opening, My Shanti received a nomination from Air Canada’s enRoute Magazine as one of Canada’s Best New Restaurants—marking a second consecutive nomination for a Vij establishment following Railway Express’s previous win.
In October 2014, Vij joined CBC’s Dragons' Den as a new Dragon alongside entrepreneurs Jim Treliving, Arlene Dickinson, David Chilton, and Michael Wekerle before leaving at the end of that season.
In 2015, Canadian Immigrant Magazine included Vij among its Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards recipients.
He was conferred honorary Doctorates of Law from Simon Fraser University in June 2015 and from the University of British Columbia in May 2016.
Advocacy and industry contribution
Vij actively champions the cause of the sustainable food sector, lending his support to programs such as the Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise Sustainable Seafood initiative. His involvement extends to organizations like Farm Folk City Folk, and he has held the position of president at The Chef's Table Society of British Columbia. Additionally, Vij participates in fundraising efforts for the Green Table Society and UBC Farm. His dedication was instrumental in securing funding for Vij's Kitchen at the University of British Columbia, a culinary space dedicated to the teaching of ethnic cuisines. In 2010, he co-chaired the 2nd Canadian Chefs' Congress on Vancouver Island, which carried the theme "Oceans for Tomorrow."
Beyond his culinary advocacy, Vikram Vij contributes to the Women's Eastside Vancouver Shelter. He is also involved with Vancouver’s Indo-Canadian arts and cultural scene, having served as a host during the 2011 Indian Summer Festival—a celebration highlighting Indian cultural heritage and commemorating both Vancouver’s 125th anniversary and Canada’s designation of that year as the "Year of India." At this event, he collaborated with percussionist Ashwin Sood, merging Indian culinary arts with musical performance. The following year, Vij led a "culinary tour of India" during the festival’s opening gala. He supports the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration Society and hosted its 2010 "Storyteller's Gala" at the Museum of Vancouver. Furthermore, Vij has conducted educational culinary tours across India, engaging with local chefs and home cooks in both northern and southern regions.
Bibliography
- Vij's: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine. Douglas & McIntyre, 2006. .
- Vij's at Home: Relax, Honey: The Warmth and Ease of Indian Cooking. Douglas & McIntyre, 2011. .
- Vij A Chef's One-way Ticket to Canada With Indian Spices in His Suitcase. Penguin Canada, 2017 .