Vancouver, BC. 5 November 2007. It's been an exciting week for the culinary duo Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala as their first recipe book won two prestigious culinary book awards. In just one week Vij's: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine, has been named winner of the Canadian Culinary Book Awards in the English Cookbook category, and has been named winner of the Cordon d'Or Gold Ribbon International Cookbook Award in the International Cookbook category.

The Canadian Culinary Book Awards, sponsored by Cuisine Canada and the University of Guelph, announced the win at their gala reception on November 2nd. The Award Presentation for the Cordon d'Or Gold Ribbon Awards will take place in St. Petersburg, Florida on January 12th 2008.

The lineups are legendary at Vij's restaurant in Vancouver, where Vikram and Meeru use local ingredients and original ideas to create exciting takes on the cuisines of India. Vij's includes vegetarian recipes and a selection of side dishes and accompaniments such as rice pilafs, chapattis (flatbread) and chutneys, and each recipe is accompanied by a suggested wine pairing.

Vij's is also the winner of Barbara Jo's First Annual Cookbook Award, and won 1st place at the Alcuin Awards for Excellence in Book Design in the Reference Category.