Vikram Vij facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vikram Vij
Vij in 2010
Born	December 1964 (age 60) Amritsar, Punjab, India
Occupation	Restaurateur, chef, cookbook author
Known for	Vij's and Rangoli, Vancouver and My Shanti South Surrey, BC
Partner(s)	Jaan Vij

Vikram Vij, born in India in 1964, is a famous Canadian chef, author of cookbooks, and a TV star! He owns popular Indian cuisine restaurants like Vij's and Rangoli Restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia. He also owned My Shanti, a restaurant in South Surrey, BC, which closed in 2024.

In 2014, Vikram Vij became a new "dragon" investor on the Canadian TV show Dragons' Den. He was on the show for one season.

Vikram grew up in India, living in cities like Amritsar, Delhi, and Bombay. In 1983, he moved to Salzburg, Austria, to study how to manage hotels. While there, he also trained to become a chef. Later, he became a certified sommelier, which means he is an expert in wines.

Vikram Vij's Journey to Becoming a Chef

After working in Salzburg and Vienna for a few years, Vikram Vij moved to Canada in 1989. He started working at the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta. From 1992 to 1994, he worked at Bishop's restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia, for a well-known Canadian chef named John Bishop.

Opening His First Restaurant

In 1994, when he was 30 years old, Vikram Vij opened his own fancy restaurant, Vij's, in Vancouver. In the beginning, his parents would even make the curry at their home and bring it to the restaurant by bus! By 2003, a food critic from The New York Times, Mark Bittman, called Vij's Restaurant "easily among the finest Indian restaurants in the world."

Expanding His Culinary Empire

In 2004, Vikram Vij opened a second restaurant and market called Rangoli. This place was more casual. Rangoli also sold pre-packaged gourmet curries called "Vij's Inspired Indian Cuisine." In 2011, he opened a special facility to make these packaged foods. Now, you can find his food products in grocery stores all across Canada. They are also sold at places like Whistler Mountain and Loblaws City Markets.

Cookbooks and Food Trucks

Vikram Vij has written two cookbooks. His first book, Vij's: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine, came out in 2006. It won several awards in 2007, including a Gold Award for Best Cookbook. In 2010, he published Vij's at Home: Relax Honey, which was recognized as one of the best Indian cuisine books in the world. He has also written for The Globe and Mail newspaper since 2007.

In 2012, Vij's Railway Express, a mobile food truck, started serving Indian curries in downtown Vancouver. It was also available for private events.

In 2014, Vikram opened another restaurant called My Shanti in South Surrey. "My Shanti" means "my peace." The menu at My Shanti was inspired by Vikram's travels around the world, featuring different flavors and ingredients. My Shanti won Vancouver Magazine's Best Indian Restaurant award in 2016. The restaurant closed in November 2023 after almost ten years.

The Rangoli location on South Granville closed in May 2020. Its menu was combined with Vij's on Cambie because of the challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vikram Vij's Cooking Style

Chef Vikram Vij's cooking style is special. He keeps the spices and cooking methods truly Indian. But he uses meats, seafood, and fresh produce that are grown or found nearby. He believes his food is not "fusion cuisine" because he sticks to traditional Indian techniques and spices.

Vikram also cares a lot about sustainable food. This means he tries to use ingredients and practices that are good for the environment. Interestingly, two of his restaurants are known for having an all-female kitchen staff!

Vikram Vij's Life Outside the Kitchen

Vikram Vij is in a relationship with his girlfriend, Jaan. He enjoys traveling, trying new foods, and going on wine tours. He is known for his knowledge about wine and has been featured in Sharp Magazine as a sommelier. Vikram Vij lives happily in Vancouver, BC.

Amazing Achievements and Awards

Vij's Restaurant was one of only twenty restaurants chosen to be featured at the James Beard Annual Gala Awards in New York City in 1998. In 2001, Vikram was invited to join a special food society called Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. In April 2012, he took part in the Varli Food Festival in New York, where over 2,000 people tried food from 60 famous Indian chefs.

Awards and Recognition

Vij's restaurants have won many local awards from places like Vancouver Magazine. In 1999, Gourmet magazine listed Vij's Restaurant as one of the top five in Vancouver. Vikram himself won the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2011 for his work in hospitality and tourism.

His restaurants have also been shown on many TV shows and in magazines across North America. These include Food Network Canada, CNN, The Globe and Mail, The New York Times, and Travel + Leisure. Omni Television even made a documentary about Vij's Restaurant, showing a close look at Vikram and his team.

Vikram Vij has been a guest judge on Top Chef Canada several times. He also appeared weekly on CBC's Recipe to Riches and was a judge on the first Chopped Canada show.

In June 2011, Vikram received the Rising Star Award from the BC Food Processors Association. In 2013, Vij's Railway Express food truck won the People's Choice Award from Air Canada's enRoute Magazine as Canada's Best New Restaurant.

In March 2013, Vikram Vij hosted the world's first live online cooking event called "Cook Live With Vikram Vij." He wanted to make Indian cooking easy for everyone. People could cook along with him online, ask questions, and share photos.

My Shanti was named number one in the Globe and Mail's Top 10 New Vancouver Restaurants of 2014. It also won Vancouver Magazine's Best Indian Restaurant in 2016.

In October 2014, Vikram Vij joined Dragons' Den as a "Dragon" investor. He worked alongside other famous entrepreneurs like Jim Treliving and Arlene Dickinson.

In 2015, Vikram Vij was recognized as one of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants by Canadian Immigrant Magazine. In 2015 and 2016, he received special honorary Doctorates of Law degrees from Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia.

Helping the Community and Food Industry

Vikram Vij is a strong supporter of the sustainable food industry. He has helped programs like the Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise Sustainable Seafood Program. He has also been involved with groups like Farm Folk City Folk and The Chef's Table Society of British Columbia. He supports the Green Table Society and helps with fundraisers for UBC Farm.

Because of his dedication, "Vij's Kitchen" was opened at the University of British Columbia. It's a modern cooking facility that teaches future chefs and nutritionists about different types of food. In 2010, Vikram helped organize the 2nd Canadian Chefs' Congress, focusing on "Oceans for Tomorrow."

Vikram Vij also donates to the Women's Eastside Vancouver Shelter. He is active in the Indian-Canadian arts and culture community in Vancouver. He has been a special guest at the Indian Summer Festival, celebrating Indian culture. He even blended music with food at one event! He also supports the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration Society.

Vikram has led small groups on educational food trips to India. They visited homes of local cooks and chefs to learn about traditional Indian cooking.

Images for kids

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  Vij in 2010