Chef Vikram Vij with Chef Liam Dougall, mahony Stamps Landing

Vancouver: mahony is thrilled to announce a partnership with celebrity chef Vikram Vij.  With over a decade of successful hospitality, Mahony & Sons is refreshing their concept of classic pub fare, by infusing the social spirit of a pub with the bold, warm flavours of south Asian street food by the legendary talent of Chef Vikram Vij.  The celebrity chef gastropub trend started in the UK, with chefs Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay, and is gaining popularity in North America.

One of Canada’s premier chefs, Vikram Vij is a celebrated tv personality, sommelier, restaurateur, and award-winning author.  He has changed the landscape of Canadian cuisine with his revered restaurants Vij’s, Rangoli and My Shanti; a line of take-home meals; and tv involvement with Chopped Canada, Top Chef Canada, Dragon’s Den and Recipe to Riches. The heart of Chef Vikram’s success however, is his devotion to the culinary art with his innovative “quintessentially Vancouver” take on Indian cuisine, using local, seasonal ingredients combined with traditional spices.

“Evolving to a truly modern pub with cuisine that’s as exceptional as our locations meant searching for the right partner,” said Pete Mahony, President, mahony Restaurants.  “We offer an incredible social experience and wanted a celebrity chef to raise the bar on our classic pub food and really standout from the thousands of other restaurants/bars in Vancouver.  Chef Vikram Vij’s inspired approach to cooking bridges the gap between cultures.  He’s the ideal partner for reinventing yesterday’s pub for today.  We see this evolution as the future of gastropubs.”

Vikram Vij commented, “Food is my passion, and trying to spread the word about Indian cuisine is part of who I am. That doesn’t mean telling people Indian food exists – it’s about getting them to try different foods, encouraging them to taste or even experiment with different spices and ingredients, and to make Indian food a regular part of their lives. What better way to do that, than to partner with the great team at mahony, reaching a whole new audience of pub-goers who clearly already have excellent taste!”

The bold flavours of Indian cuisine is a natural match to the large array of draft beers, wine and cocktails available at mahony. Chef Vikram in collaboration with mahony Executive Chef Liam Dougall, has designed a new menu with beloved classics along with spiced up “pub” fare.  Crafted with local ingredients, traditional items include a 100% all-natural beef patty served on a Terra Breads brioche bun or Ocean Wise Pacific cod in a Guinness batter both with handcut fries. Uniquely Vikram inspired dishes include a fresh interpretation of pizza with handmade naan bread crust available in 4 different styles, a Vikram “bunny” chow served in a Terra Breads sourdough bread bowl, and a gluten free paneer pakora made with chickpea flour served with mint and onion chutney.

Chef Vikram will be hosting a series of charity events at mahony Stamps Landing over the coming year.  The first is in mid-August for KidSport BC, followed by another this fall on October 8th, which is a celebrity chef fundraiser dinner for The Chefs’ Table Society Scholarship fund. More details and ticket information will be available shortly on discovermahony.com.

Founded in 2006, mahony operates two exceptional waterside locations.  mahony Stamps Landing is a 10,000 square-foot two-level restaurant, which includes 525 seats—250 inside and another 275 on the best patio in Vancouver. Right on False Creek, a one-of-a-kind, sun-drenched deck offers gorgeous waterfront views and a laid-back vibe. mahony Burrard Landing, adjacent to the Vancouver Convention Centre, is one of the most beautiful settings in the world.  A modern 7,200 square foot restaurant with 450 seats including a 160-seat patio, has awe inspiring views of scenic Burrard inlet with the dramatic north shore mountains as a backdrop, and cruise ships so close you can almost reach out and touch as they dock at Canada Place.