The upcoming episode of Top Chef Canada, airing Monday May 20th at 9pm ET/10pm PT exclusively on Food Network Canada, will feature Indian cuisine, and Vancouver-based award winning chef Vikram Vij as guest judge for the Elimination Challenge.
In Monday night’s Elimination Challenge, the chefs must create an Indian feast for the judges and guests, including international comedy superstar Russell Peters. To prepare and inspire them for this feast, the chefs are invited to sample the many flavours of Indian cuisine featured in Vij’s at Home, Chef Vikram Vij’s own line of ready to eat Indian curries.
“I was really honoured to be asked to participate as a judge once again this year on Top Chef Canada,” says Vij, who also appeared on last season’s final episode. “I’m delighted that Top Chef Canada has chosen to highlight Indian cuisine on the show, and put it up there with Italian or French cooking for these chefs as well as future chefs watching the show.”
On working with special guest Russell Peters, he says: “He brought a lot of fun and energy, to a high-pressure situation. Along with hard work and passion, you must always remember not take yourself too seriously, and he definitely reminded us all of that.”
So what will it take to win the Elimination Challenge? Vij says there is a lot of talent on display: “It’s great to see so many aspiring chefs utilizing fresh, local ingredients in unique and interesting ways on the show. There is so much talent in the culinary community in Canada and I am so pleased to be involved in a program that showcases that talent so well.”
ABOUT VIKRAM VIJ
Vikram Vij was born in India and grew up in Amritsar and Bombay. His most vivid childhood memories revolve around food and family and he pursued this further when he moved to Europe and later when he came to live in Canada.
He opened the first 14-seat Vij’s Restaurant in Vancouver in 1994 and, later that same year, married Meeru Dhalwala who would later take over managing the kitchens of both Vij’s and Rangoli restaurants. They will open a larger Vij’s restaurant in Vancouver within the next 12 months.
Vij has published two award-winning cookbooks with Dhalwala – Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine and Vij’s at Home: Relax, Honey.
As well as his appearance as a judge on the first season of Top Chef Canada, he is a regular guest on many TV shows across the country and recently hosted Canada’s first ever live webstreamed cookalong.
