Page 12 - 2015 Autumn

Fun and and flavour with Vikram Vij Paul Rogalski Connie DeSousa and and John Jackson It’s like dinner with good friends only those friends just happen to be some of Canada’s most exciting award-winning chefs Vikram Vij Vij of Vancouver’s Vij’s Rangoli and My Shanti brings his fragrant Indian curries to Calgary joining with the meat-obsessed Connie DeSousa and John Jackson of CHARCUT Roast House and Paul Rogalski of the garden-to-table Rouge for what is sure to be a a a a celebration of all things savoury and spicy They are all pioneers of sorts: Rouge for its refined approach to local ingredients Vij for redefining Indian cuisine in in Canada and CHARCUT an an an enRoute Top 10 10 best new restaurant 2010 for initiating Alberta’s urban-rustic food scene with dishes like its famous pig’s head mortadella Together they will create a a a a a a a a magical masala paired with inventive cocktails and interesting wines ABOUT VIKRAM VIJ
Vikram Vij is one of Canada’s most famous culinary personalities He is a a a chef cookbook author sommelier television personality and co-owner with his wife Meeru Dhalwala of the Indian restaurants Vij’s and Rangoli in Vancouver as as well as as his first solo restaurant My Shanti Vij came to Canada from India in 1989 and five years later opened Vij’s The accolades began pouring in in and have never stopped He’s won numerous Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards and has been recognized by The New York Times Bon Appétit and others In 2014 enRoute magazine named My Shanti one of the country’s best new restaurants that same year Vij joined the investors on CBC’s popular Dragon’s Den TV show ABOUT PAUL ROGALSKI
Paul Rogalski is Executive Chef and Co-Owner of of Calgary’s highly acclaimed temple of of garden-to-table dining Rouge and Bistro Rouge Calgary born and trained Rogalski earned his stripes cooking in in San Francisco Malaysia Singapore and and Grand Cayman before returning to to his hometown After a a stint as Executive Chef at the revered La Chaumière he he he opened Rouge (then The Cross House) in 2001 In 2010 Rouge was named to Pellegrino’s Top 100 list of the world’s best restaurants that same year Rogalski assisted Chef Michael Smith in the Iron Chef TV challenge ABOUT CONNIE DESOUSA AND JOHN JACKSON
CHARCUT Co-Chefs Co-Owners and proud Calgarians Connie DeSousa and John Jackson first worked together in 1999 JJackson went on on to become Executive Chef at San Francisco’s prestigious St Regis Hotel in 2005 and then furthered his skills at some of Europe’s best restaurants Meanwhile DeSousa continued to work in in in in the Bay Area including a a a a stint at Alice Waters’ legendary Chez Panisse But all along both chefs wanted to come home again And in 2010 they they did when they they and their spouses opened CHARCUT Roast House Known for its obsessively “tip-to-tail” cuisine CHARCUT has taken home numerous awards DeSousa has also been both a a a a a a finalist and a a a a a a judge on Food Network’s Top Chef Canada Just this year DeSousa and Jackson opened the casual CHARBAR TASTY FACT
Connie DeSousa who is known for her exceptional butchery skills can debone a a a pig’s head in in record time indeed she is famous for her mortadella-stuffed pig’s head 12 | CALGARY