In New York wine business circles, Yannick Benjamin is called one of many prime sommeliers. He discovered his commerce as a younger man at locations like Jean-Georges and Le Cirque. His work in hospitality took on a brand new that means in 2003, when he was in a automotive accident at age 25 and have become paralyzed from the waist down.
After receiving a sommelier certification the subsequent yr, Mr. Benjamin started to throw a few of his vitality towards supporting different individuals with disabilities. He and a buddy, Alex Elegudin, began the nonprofit Wheeling Ahead, which presents quite a lot of providers and applications. One other nonprofit, Wine on Wheels, grew out of that, with Mr. Benjamin utilizing his connections to assist increase cash and “carry consciousness to the hospitality business that folks with disabilities must be handled with respect and dignity.”
In 2021, Mr. Benjamin put his imaginative and prescient to the take a look at by opening Contento in East Harlem together with his buddy George Gallego. The restaurant rapidly grew to become often called a mannequin for accessibility in eating, with modifications for wheelchair customers, a menu in Braille and adaptive flatware.
Mr. Benjamin, 46, was raised in Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan by French immigrant dad and mom, and final yr he opened Beaupierre Wines & Spirits within the neighborhood together with his spouse, Heidi Turzyn Benjamin. The couple stay in a two-bedroom house within the Concourse part of the Bronx with their canine, Amélie.
EARLY RISER I really like waking up within the morning. From 4:30 a.m. to about 8:30 a.m., I’m freed from any type of anxiousness. It’s the time that I personal. I don’t have to fret a few telephone name or something like that. The very first thing that I all the time attempt to do within the morning — I’ve one among these little timers — I attempt to observe the “pomodoro” methodology. I’ll put it on for about 20, 25 minutes. I am going straight to my water cooler, have a glass of water, electrolytes, brush my enamel. Then I am going straight into what I name my very own type of meditation.
ANCIENT TEXTS I’m a giant practitioner of Stoicism. The weekends are my time within the mornings to learn. I usually learn lots of books: “The Discourses of Epictetus”; I’m doing lots of studying on Marcus Aurelius; I really like all the pieces that’s from Seneca. I’ll spotlight lots of their stuff.
What’s key for me is writing to myself in the identical means that Marcus Aurelius did within the guide “Meditations.” When he wrote that guide, he wasn’t actually writing it for different individuals to learn — it was a journal to himself. It’s a means of self-improvement, of questioning, “Whoa, Yannick, why did you get upset as a result of the elevator was damaged?” Or, “Was it actually mandatory so that you can snap at that particular person?” Simply questioning and ensuring that you just’re choosing up good habits.
ADAPTIVE TRAINING Sundays and Saturdays are the times I like to actually push my exercises to past the boundaries, exhaust myself. Not less than effectively over an hour of cardio, which is my hand crank — equal to a Peloton bike, however just for somebody who solely has higher physique, as a result of I’m paralyzed, proper? I do adaptive leaping. I do my adaptive burpees. I am going to the Entry Initiatives, the wellness and bodily health middle, to see my colleague and buddy George Gallego [the founder]. We’re going to do the New York Metropolis Half Marathon [on Sunday] collectively. We’ve executed a bunch of marathons collectively, full marathons. He’s additionally my enterprise associate on the restaurant Contento.
STRATEGY SESSION We prefer to go to Contento; it’s closed on Sunday, and it’s simply good to be in your individual little spot. We like to speak about what’s occurring within the nonprofit world, what’s our subsequent targets. But in addition to speak in regards to the restaurant.
I imply, there’s ups, there’s downs. Particularly proper now, the restaurant enterprise has been somewhat bit difficult. Fortuitously, we don’t have a excessive overhead; we’re a small house, so it’s good. However we notice that we’re in a metropolis of 26,000 eating places. And in the future you’re like a cool child, and the subsequent day you’re type of forgotten.
NOTRE DAME I normally prefer to cease by the Church of Notre Dame. If there’s no Mass I simply type of sit there and simply perform a little meditation, keep in silence — extra of a gratitude for all the nice issues in my life. I like the sensation of the church. It brings me nice pleasure to go there to seek out that serenity.
One among my favourite quotes is from “Sound of Metallic.” It’s about somebody who’s going deaf, and in one of many scenes it says, the world could be a rattling merciless place, nevertheless it’s these moments of stillness — that’s the closest factor to the dominion of God, and people moments of stillness won’t ever betray you. We’d like these moments simply to get some readability. As a result of we all know we’re going to return to the rat race the subsequent day.
FANCY CHICKEN One among my go-to eating places is a spot known as Benoit. I would go there, have somewhat brunch or lunch with a buddy. And I prefer to all the time arrange a very good, stable assembly with somebody that I haven’t talked to shortly. Often, it’s in regard to Wine on Wheels and what the long run holds. Their roasted rooster is the best factor on earth.
WINES AND SPIRITS It provides me consolation that I used to be in a position to open a retailer in the identical constructing that I used to be born and raised in. Most individuals, typically they’ve trauma. They simply wish to get out of the place that they grew up in. And I perceive that. However in my case, what a chance to be so shut, subsequent to my sister who lives one constructing over, see my nephews on a regular basis. My mother comes down, all the time bringing me meals. I’ve had some powerful breaks in my life, however on the finish of the day, I’m one of many luckiest individuals on earth.
MAMAN’S SPECIALTIES I do know it’s not all people’s style, however I all the time say my mother is a grasp at organ meats. She’ll do both kidney, liver or one thing like tripe. It’s so good. She all the time surprises me. After which we catch up, and as you may think about, we have now rather a lot to speak about as a result of my father has simply handed away. However she’s in nice spirits. She’s one of many strongest people I’ve ever met.
NO-JUDGMENT WINE I actually don’t drink that a lot, regardless that I’m within the wine business. It’s the one evening of the week that I can even have a glass of wine and never dissect it or decide it and simply benefit from the simplicity of it, the stimulation of it. Me and my spouse, we simply get pleasure from one another’s firm. And with our little doggy, Amelie, we watch no matter’s on TV, have good dialog, and simply preserve issues actually easy. We actually don’t speak about politics. We simply speak about actually nothing, however nothing is nice typically.
Sunday Routine readers can comply with Yannick Benjamin on Instagram at @yannickbenjamin.
