What do you think?
Rate this book
Vij: A Chef's One-Way Ticket to Canada with Indian Spices in His Suitcase
Winner of the 2018 Taste Canada Awards - Culinary Narratives
Vikram Vij, one of Canada’s great chefs, shares his story of the trials and triumphs in building a world-renowned food empire
Fragrant with the smells of cumin, turmeric, fennel, and cloves, Vij reveals the story of Vikram Vij, one of Canada’s most celebrated chefs and entrepreneurs. Co-owner of the world-famous Vij’s Restaurant in Vancouver, his story is a true rags-to-riches tale of a college dropout from northern India who made it to Europe’s temples of high cuisine, then with a one-way ticket bound for Canada, found fame serving some of the world’s most transcendent Indian cuisine. Vij’s Restaurant, originally a fourteen-seat establishment known for its extraordinary flavours and spice blends, along with a firm no-reservation policy, received accolades from restaurant critics and patrons alike.
A culinary journey that began in India as a boy enjoying the praise of visitors for his chai and biscuits, Vikram’s passion for Indian cooking and his lifelong mission to bring awareness to the culture he left behind have fueled his tireless drive in building a world-renowned food empire. Driven to succeed, Vikram realized his dream to launch five major initiatives under the Vij’s brand by age fifty, but with challenges and sacrifices along the way.
For the first time, Vikram opens up about his struggles with prejudice, his mentors’ lasting lessons, and the painful demise of his marriage—both the successes and the failures that have shaped and sharpened one of Canada’s most unique and revered culinary talents.
Vikram Vij, one of Canada’s great chefs, shares his story of the trials and triumphs in building a world-renowned food empire
Fragrant with the smells of cumin, turmeric, fennel, and cloves, Vij reveals the story of Vikram Vij, one of Canada’s most celebrated chefs and entrepreneurs. Co-owner of the world-famous Vij’s Restaurant in Vancouver, his story is a true rags-to-riches tale of a college dropout from northern India who made it to Europe’s temples of high cuisine, then with a one-way ticket bound for Canada, found fame serving some of the world’s most transcendent Indian cuisine. Vij’s Restaurant, originally a fourteen-seat establishment known for its extraordinary flavours and spice blends, along with a firm no-reservation policy, received accolades from restaurant critics and patrons alike.
A culinary journey that began in India as a boy enjoying the praise of visitors for his chai and biscuits, Vikram’s passion for Indian cooking and his lifelong mission to bring awareness to the culture he left behind have fueled his tireless drive in building a world-renowned food empire. Driven to succeed, Vikram realized his dream to launch five major initiatives under the Vij’s brand by age fifty, but with challenges and sacrifices along the way.
For the first time, Vikram opens up about his struggles with prejudice, his mentors’ lasting lessons, and the painful demise of his marriage—both the successes and the failures that have shaped and sharpened one of Canada’s most unique and revered culinary talents.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published March 21, 2017
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 13, 2017
I've had some time to catch up on my reading lately and just finished Vij: A One-Way Ticket to Canada with India in My Suitcase and Lessons I Learned in Life.
I really enjoyed this book. Although he was little known to me until he came onto the Dragon's Den, it turns out he really has made his mark on the Canadian restaurant scene.
Vikram gives so much credit of the success of his food to his ex-wife Meeru, who worked with the kitchen staff and created many of the recipes for his earlier places, while he worked the front of the house and handled the publicity. That is not to say that Vij did not take part in the cooking as he he is quite the chef himself as his new establishments attest.
He isn't shy to explain the money he has spent on all his ventures and the amount of debt that he is in. Most restaurateurs lease properties where he is only keen to buy. The same went for when he decide to expand his operation to include packaged foods for the supermarket. Again he never leased a plant but decided to buy the land and build it from the ground up. Seems it was just recently that it started to turn a profit.
As tough as one has to be to be an entrepreneur, Vij has quite the soft side to him, especially when it comes to family and friends. In many autobiographies the authors will show themselves as totally driven 100% to their business but where Vikram does talk about this, he also talks about missing family and the joy he feels when with them.
Although I never have wanted to work in the restaurant industry, I find it fascinating and this is an excellent look at that inside world.
I really enjoyed this book. Although he was little known to me until he came onto the Dragon's Den, it turns out he really has made his mark on the Canadian restaurant scene.
Vikram gives so much credit of the success of his food to his ex-wife Meeru, who worked with the kitchen staff and created many of the recipes for his earlier places, while he worked the front of the house and handled the publicity. That is not to say that Vij did not take part in the cooking as he he is quite the chef himself as his new establishments attest.
He isn't shy to explain the money he has spent on all his ventures and the amount of debt that he is in. Most restaurateurs lease properties where he is only keen to buy. The same went for when he decide to expand his operation to include packaged foods for the supermarket. Again he never leased a plant but decided to buy the land and build it from the ground up. Seems it was just recently that it started to turn a profit.
As tough as one has to be to be an entrepreneur, Vij has quite the soft side to him, especially when it comes to family and friends. In many autobiographies the authors will show themselves as totally driven 100% to their business but where Vikram does talk about this, he also talks about missing family and the joy he feels when with them.
Although I never have wanted to work in the restaurant industry, I find it fascinating and this is an excellent look at that inside world.
March 17, 2017
Though I haven't been to any of Vikram's restaurants, I became aware of him from his stint on Dragons' Den. He seems like an interesting guy, I like reading bios and he lives in Canada.
Vikram starts his story by telling us about his upbringing in India. He didn't want to go into his father's business so ended up going to hotel management school in Austria. After that, he got a job working in a hotel in Austria where he caught the attention of a Canadian hotelier from Banff. That's what brought him to Canada as a young man and he has been here ever since. His goal was to have five businesses by the time he was fifty and he tells how he was able to do that. It wasn't always easy and it was interesting to read the behind-the-scenes experience of opening restaurants, having the vision but also of going into debt for them. He is honest about his relationships ... with his parents, his ex-wife, Meeru, and his two daughters.
As I was reading his story, I could hear Vikram's voice. As a head's up, he swears but I was okay with that. I liked the writing style and found his story interesting. While he admits he has an ego and likes attention, I think he would be fun to hang with. He sounds approachable and uses this style in his restaurant with his guests. I had seen him in the wine line at the Good Food & Drink Festival a couple years ago but assumed he wouldn't want to be bothered. After reading this book, he probably would have been okay with it.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2017/03...
Vikram starts his story by telling us about his upbringing in India. He didn't want to go into his father's business so ended up going to hotel management school in Austria. After that, he got a job working in a hotel in Austria where he caught the attention of a Canadian hotelier from Banff. That's what brought him to Canada as a young man and he has been here ever since. His goal was to have five businesses by the time he was fifty and he tells how he was able to do that. It wasn't always easy and it was interesting to read the behind-the-scenes experience of opening restaurants, having the vision but also of going into debt for them. He is honest about his relationships ... with his parents, his ex-wife, Meeru, and his two daughters.
As I was reading his story, I could hear Vikram's voice. As a head's up, he swears but I was okay with that. I liked the writing style and found his story interesting. While he admits he has an ego and likes attention, I think he would be fun to hang with. He sounds approachable and uses this style in his restaurant with his guests. I had seen him in the wine line at the Good Food & Drink Festival a couple years ago but assumed he wouldn't want to be bothered. After reading this book, he probably would have been okay with it.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2017/03...
November 23, 2017
I discovered Vijs restaurant on Cambrie Street in Vancouver earlier this year while staying with relatives who insisted we go - that this was the 'new' location and that the wait outside the restaurant was part of the experience and worth it. I loved the full experience - the ambiance, the chai, the appetizers as you wait, the food!, and the attention to detail. As a foodie, I love to cook at home, try new recipes and seek out new food experiences. This book is a fun read about the tenacity, successes, failures of Vikram Vij and his ex-wife and partner Meeru (won't forget to mention how instrumental she was in his success). My son and I make an authentic chai tea at home now thanks to a recipe from Bonnie Stern that was inspired from Vijs restaurant. This is an excellent read for a foodie or any entrepreneur who appreciates the passion, energy, creativity and sweat it takes to pursue your dreams. I'm heading out to local grocery store in Toronto to pick up some of the frozen Vijs curries - now that I understand this history behind this line of his business, I am eager to try them out myself.
November 10, 2017
He seemed like such a nice guy on Chopped...
September 21, 2018
Vij doesn’t have any grand insight but he doesn’t pretend to either
May 30, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyable. I just wish I'd read it prior to last weekend, when my wife and I ate at Vij's; the lamb popsicles are every bit as good as described in the book!
August 5, 2019
I admire his tenacity and enjoyed the story he told.
September 17, 2025
An emotional journey ~
September 10, 2025
Really great book if you want to know the man behind the food. Interesting personal history in Canada navigating the waters of the restaurant business and his unique way of prospecting for workers in his restaurant.
Worth the time to read for sure.
Worth the time to read for sure.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews