“At its heart, My New Indian Kitchen is about connection between generations, cultures, and people,” said author Jennifer Muttoo. “If it inspires someone to cook Indian food at home with confidence and joy, then we’ve achieved what we set out to do together.”
Decorated Indian-Canadian chef Vikram Vij, recipient of the Michelin Bib Gourmand award (2023, 2024, 2025) and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Vancouver Restaurant Awards, is a modern culinary icon celebrated for his ability to balance the pursuit of personal expression with culture and tradition. Chef Vikram Vij is one half of the dynamic duo behind My New Indian Kitchen written alongside Jennifer Muttoo, the head of J Marketing, who leverages social media to showcase restaurants and emerging chefs.
I recently met Jennifer and had the opportunity to chat about writing My New Indian Kitchen with Chef Vikram Vij and the many rich influences that contributed to the book you’ll find on bookshop shelves across Canada.
Q: In three words, how would you describe your style and philosophy as a creator?
A: Soulful. Respectful. Boldly expressive.
Q: What is your philosophy for writing culturally-rooted recipes that honour tradition and nostalgia but are inviting to those who are new to the cuisine and may not have access to a wide array of international products?
A: Our philosophy is rooted in respect for the traditions we come from and generosity for the home cook. We honour authentic flavours and techniques, but we also embrace adaptation. If a dish can be made with accessible ingredients without losing its essence, we guide readers there. It’s about opening the door to Indian cooking, not guarding it. We wanted to ensure our cookbook was approachable for all readers to be able to create the dishes we have made.
Q: How do you navigate writing recipes that are accessible to home cooks?
A: We think about real kitchens and real lives. Recipes are tested multiple times with timing, substitutions, and clarity in mind. We simplify where possible, but never at the expense of flavour. We also try to build confidence—once you understand a spice or technique, it becomes intuitive.
Q: How do you know when a recipe you’re developing is ready for print?
A: When it consistently delivers flavour, texture, and experience across multiple tests and different cooks. It also needs to feel emotionally right. A dish should evoke something, not just taste good.
Q: What is the average length of time one of your recipes goes from ideation to print?
A: It varies widely. Some recipes come together in a few days, while others evolve over months. On average, anywhere from two weeks to several months depending on complexity and refinement.
Q: What’s one ingredient you cannot live without?
A: Spices as a whole, but if we had to choose one, it would be cumin. It is foundational, versatile, and deeply comforting.
Q: How long did it take you to write My New Indian Kitchen?
A: Approximately two years from concept to completion, including writing, testing, and refinement. Many of the recipes in this book were inspired by and passed down from our mothers, Mama Muttoo and Mama Vij, whose cooking shaped our understanding of Indian food at its core. Their influence is woven throughout these pages. Bringing the cookbook together was a true labour of love and took just about two years from start to finish.
Q: Was there a story or recipe you hesitated on but ultimately opted to include in your cookbook? What made you change your mind?
A: Yes, there were a few deeply personal recipes tied to family traditions that we initially hesitated on. They felt very intimate, almost like sharing something from the private family table. Ultimately, we realized those were the very recipes that carried the most meaning and emotion, and that’s exactly what we wanted this book to reflect.
Q: In general, with so many recipes available online today, why should home cooks and cooking enthusiasts still purchase physical cookbooks?
A: The cover itself stands out on your kitchen counter. A cookbook offers a curated experience that goes beyond individual recipes. It tells a story, preserves culture, and reflects a journey of food and memory. It invites the reader to slow down and connect with cooking in a more intentional way than scrolling online often allows. Our cookbook is also a story of collaborations and a history of Vij’s Restaurant.
Q: How long have you been engaged in recipe development?
A: For decades, both professionally and personally. It has been a lifelong evolution. Vikram and I have been in the industry for years and are always developing new recipes.
Q: What motivated you to publish a cookbook at this point in your career?
A: Vikram and my travels on tours to India really inspired us to make this cookbook together. It felt like the right moment to share a more personal, accessible expression of Indian cooking—one that reflects both tradition and where we are today. It was a way to really share our favourite dishes with others and keep our family traditions moving forward through others.
Q: Who are your greatest culinary inspirations?
A: Our families, especially our mothers and the generations before us. Their cooking forms the foundation of everything we do.
Q: What strategies do you recommend for managing creative blocks?
A: Step away from the kitchen. Travel, eat, talk to people, revisit memories. Creativity often returns when you stop forcing it. Travel is essential to learning new ways of cooking and appreciating new cuisine.
Q: What is one piece of advice you’d like to offer to aspiring recipe developers?
A: Cook with intention, and taste everything. Respect tradition, but don’t be afraid to find your own voice and cook what you love.
Q: Is there a new project you’re working on that you’d like to tease?
A: We’re always exploring new ideas especially around storytelling-driven food experiences that bring people closer to Indian cuisine in immersive and meaningful ways. We are opening a new concept restaurant called Peacock by Vij’s at Time Out Market Vancouver and Fifa Vancouver.
Q: Where can we purchase your book?
A: Through major retailers and Canadian bookstores including Indigo, Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and independent bookstores across Canada.
Q: How can we follow your work?
A: You can visit Vikram Vij’s restaurant, “Vij’s Restaurant” at 3106 Cambie St., Vancouver, and stay connected to Chef Vikram Vij on Instagram @vijsrestaurant and @chefvikramvij.
