Celebrated chef, restaurateur, and television personality Vikram Vij is renowned for redefining Indian cuisine in Canada and beyond. Trained in Austria and seasoned at world-class establishments, he opened Vij’s in 1994 in Vancouver, blending bold innovation with deep-rooted tradition.
Known for his signature hospitality — often greeting guests with a cup of chai — Chef Vij has earned global acclaim, multiple Michelin Bib Gourmand honours, and a Lifetime Achievement Award. For DARPAN, he handpicked these recipes from his new 2025 cookbook, My New Indian Kitchen, showcasing his ever-evolving culinary artistry.
Chef Prasad exploits the meaty and robust quality of aubergines in this striking vegetarian recipe, using the vegetable to wrap up a gently spiced and aromatic quinoa, paneer and crunchy vegetable filling. A perfect mix of textures and flavours, this recipe could easily be multiplied to feed a crowd.
This recipe is perfect for a summertime dinner party. Star anise and fennel seeds are widely available, while chaat masala can be bought from Indian grocery stores and online. This dessert requires overnight freezing so make sure you start it in plenty of time.
Vancouver and the Lower Mainland have so many diverse options and international cuisines to choose from – we are extremely lucky in our foodie quests in British Columbia. Here’s a list of some of Vancouver’s newest, award-winning restaurants that are definitely worth a visit. Your palate will thank you afterwards, as you’ll be blown away – bon appétit!
