In an industry riddled with failure, and where staying in business for five years is considered a resounding success, Vancouver restauranteur Vikram Vij is surely an anomaly. Next month, Vij celebrates 20 years of success, the secrets of which he says he hopes to share this season on CBC’s Dragons' Den.
Vij is joining the popular television show as one of five investors – along with Jim Treliving, Arlene Dickinson, David Chilton, and Michael Wekerle – who can make Canadian entrepreneurs’ dreams come true.
Since opening his flagship restaurant Vij’s in 1994, Vij has managed to transform how Vancouverites think of Indian food by giving it the contemporary fine dining treatment.
“Everyone thinks of Indian food as butter chicken and tikka masala, but there’s so much more,” he says. “My end goal is to bring awareness to the cuisine and culture of India. I want people to feel I’m the Obama of the food world.”
Vij’s empire has since expanded to include the casual dining Rangoli, Vij’s Railway Express food truck, Shanik in Seattle, the newly opened My Shanti in South Surrey, as well as a line of ready-made meals, Vij’s at Home.
His secret is simple: Work hard and stay focused.
“And you have to take pride in what you do,” Vij says. “It’s my name on restaurant after all.”
While other investors on Dragons' Den might be more concerned with dollars and cents, Vij says he’s looking to invest in someone who has passion for what they do.
“For someone like David Chilton, it’s all numbers,” he says. “But I believe anything you do should have heart and soul.”
For Vij, the opportunity to get into show business is a literal dream come true.
“I always wanted to be a Bollywood actor,” he says. “I loved preforming, I loved the music and the dance. So this is a big deal for me.
“I do love being in front of the camera,” he admits.
