Two local foodie spots share ‘the magic of Vikram’

Canada’s charismatic pioneer of modern Indian cuisine touches down in Winnipeg this week.

Vikram Vij, a Vancouver-based chef, restaurateur and television personality, joins the kitchen at Deer + Almond for a special dining event Tuesday, followed by a signing of his new cookbook, My New Indian Kitchen, at Black Market Provisions on Wednesday.

Deer + Almond owner Mandel Hitzer met Vij for the first time in 2014 when he was a featured chef at RAW:almond, the annual pop-up restaurant on the frozen junction of the Assiniboine and Red rivers.

“He was, like, the first person out of Winnipeg to come and be part of the pop-up. His energy and charisma is so amazing and powerful,” Hitzer says.

Born in India and trained in Austria, Vij immigrated to Canada and opened Vij’s Restaurant in Vancouver in 1994. The fine-dining Indian restaurant — then the first of its kind and now a Michelin Bib Gourmand eatery — was met with widespread acclaim from the Globe and Mail to the New York Times to the James Beard Foundation.

Vij has since served as a judge on Top Chef Canada, Chopped Canada and Recipe to Riches, and been featured as an investor on CBC reality show Dragons’ Den.

Tuesday’s event will feature a menu split between creations from Vij and the Deer + Almond kitchen. Hitzer is looking forward to reconnecting with a chef he’s long admired and learned much from.

“When Vikram came and cooked at the restaurant, he taught us how to build some of those (curry) flavour profiles and how to build those dishes,” he says. “I’m very excited to show the new team that I have here now about those flavours and those traditions and also just share the magic of Vikram.”

Reservations are available for a multi-course meal in the dining room or an à la carte experience at the bartop of the restaurant at 85 Princess St. Click here to reserve a spot.

Wednesday’s book signing and meet-and-greet takes place at Black Market Provisions (550 Osborne St.) from 6 to 8 p.m. Owing to the size of the shop, a $10 ticket purchase is required to reserve a time slot. Visit Black Market’s site for details.

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com