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After much anticipation and two months later than planned, Vikram Vij's latest venture, My Shanti at Morgan Crossing, South Surrey is set to open its doors on Sunday May 25. We spoke with Vikram last week at a visit to see the new space.
Are you feeling nervous?
I am, yes. You can't sit on your laurels, you still have to perform; it doesn't matter how good you have been, you're only as good as your last dish that came out of the kitchen. People can take you up that high and dump you down just as fast. You have to be careful. Fortunately my backbone (his all-women staff of Indian cooks) is amazing - the hand peeling of the ginger still happens - that essence, I'm not going to give away and as long as that essence is there, the love and the passion is there.
From the enthusiasm of the locals (when we arrived people were peering through the windows) we're guessing that people should start to make reservations?
There will be no reservations, it's first come, first served. I've never done that; it's not about reservations, it's about 'come in, hang out, have a glass of wine!' I have the space here now. People will get something to munch on, they can sit and relax and then the table will come. I want people to chill out.
How have the dry runs been going?
We've been practising for a few days, I'm hoping we'll be ready but there's no rush, I don't want to open up and think I've made a mistake.
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