This is Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Messer and Tim Stenebek on Bloomberg Radio. All right, well, loyal listeners and viewers are well acquainted with our next guest. Yanick Benjamin is a somoier and restaurant tour behind one of New York City's most cutting edge and inclusive restaurants, Contento in East Harlem. He's also making hospitality accessible to everyone as a co founder of Wine on Wheels, which works with and helps recently disabled people that lack a support system
and resources to obtain the services that they need. It is something that is something he knows so much about and so great to have back with us. Janick ben Benjamin joining us on Zoom in New York City. I'm rushing through. There's so much to talk about and set you up, but our audience knows you. How are you.
I'm doing great and thank you for having me back on. I'm really honored.
Well, we're always honored to get some time with you for all of the work that you are doing. So tell us about your world and how things are going right now.
Everything's great. I just got back from an incredible trip from Greece, visited some wonderful Wineries. Learned so much about it, so much, so many great things are happening out there. So that was really great. And now I'm back here in New York City and we're preparing for our first one scene in four years. Obviously, we had this major interruption, so we're so excited to have it back on and that'll be on Sunday, September tenth at City Winery.
So talk to us about the money that you are raising for charity and what goes into that.
Yes, so the purpose of One on Wheels is really to educate the public, but most of all to really bring awareness as well. So there's a wellness and physical fitness center that's going to be opened very soon, and that's spearheaded by my dear friend and colleague George Gego, who also happens to be a partner of mine at the restaurant Contento Contental Restaurant Improving Restaurant on twenty eleventh
between Park and Madison. And so this wellness and physical fitness center, which is going to be lowkey, hit it on one eighteenth and third. All of the equipment will be adaptive. This is going to be a great place for people with disabilities to go to where they're going to be there with their peers, learn from each other and be able to interact and really motivate each other.
There aren't really there aren't too many places here in New York City or anywhere else in the United States where people with physical disabilities can go to and have equipment that's actually adaptive for them and also have adaptive classes like adaptive boxing, adaptive martial arts. I mean, it's
going to be really great. Certainly, there have been a lot of challenges to get this open, and so this is why it's really important to have one on wheels to raise this money and really let the public know that this is an important project and it needs to happen.
Yeah, nic I said, you're someone who knows a lot about this world because you and yourself were paralyzed below the waste at the age of twenty five. It was a car accident. So it's I think at two decades ago, tell us about remind everybody about what happened to you and what you realized around the world when it comes to because obviously you know this from a firsthand, what is lacking in our system and our infrastructure and our sensitivity kind of as a society.
Yeah, absolutely, for sure. It's funny that you would ask me that, because you know, in October it will be my twentieth year being on a wheelchair. It's really unbelievable to even think that, and it's gone by so fast and so much has happened. But you know, I was in Athens and such an incredible and vibrant city, and it just reminded me that we still have so much more work to do. You know, just rolling around the streets of Athens and trying to get up to the
Acropolis had many, many challenges. And it's not just people on wheelchairs, but it's people that are blind and that are deaf and so on. And you know, we're talking about over one billion people globally that have a disability, right, and so we need to do a better job get in, getting rid of those invisible barriers, and really just doing a better job reaching over and being more inclusive. I mean, here in the United States alone, we have well over
sixty one million Americans that have a disability. And so as I tell all my friends and colleagues in the restaurant business, right especially now, where you know there's so many challenges. It's not easy being an operator for a food establishment. You know, we're talking about you know, sixty one million Americans that have over five hundred billion dollars of spending power, right and we're just kind of completely still ignoring that population. I just don't understand why people
with disabilities have so much to offer their willing. They're able, and they want to work, and they want you know, in life, everybody wants a sense of purpose. And I remember when I first got injured, there were a lot of obstacles, there were a lot of challenges, and all I ever did prior to my accident, I was always in hospitality and all of a sudden, here I am car accident, paralyzed in the waist down, and it was
certainly not easy to get back into the game. And I'm hoping that we can see more people with disabilities in the hospitality, in the changes, people with disabilities in the workforce period.
How will the proceeds be split. I know in the past you've used wheeling it forward. It's dedicated to improving the lives of those who are living with disabilities. And then also Backbones, which has assisted people with those spinal cord injuries.
Yeah, So Backbones is a charity that's out of Chicago. So we did an event with them, and they do a lot of great work. We are going to continue to support Willing Forward. I'm still very much involved with them. They have a great program called Spinal Mobility, which also incorporates exercise and fitness and wellness for people with disabilities. So that's how the proceeds will be split with that organization.
But also again our main priority is to get money and get those doors open for the Access Project, spearheaded by George Diego, because that this is going to be an incredible project and again something that's sorely lacking. You know, there's not a lot of places for people disabilities to go to where they can go to and feel safe and comfortable and work out and be amongst their peers. And I think that the Access Project is going to
be sort of you'll see. I think if it works out, it'll be the template for many other cities and states to follow.
Well, that's what I wanted to go back to, is you know your own experience, and you know, realizing the lack of support or the lack of infrastructure or resources, you know, you would think in this day and age that either through healthcare or so on and so forth, that these systems would be there. You know, what are some of those what would be probably you know, just basic, necessary, fundamental services that are still lacking for individuals with disabilities.
For sure, I think, you know, for some reason, we still don't prioritize healthcare, and unfortunately, we have a lot of individuals that heavily rely on Medicaid, and the rules and regulations for Medicaid are very oppressive and they're very rigid. So unfortunately, a lot of people that rely on Medicaid because if they return to work, they're always in danger of losing it. So there's not a lot of incentive for people to want to get back to the workforce.
And so I completely understand that. So there needs to be a fundamental change when it comes to that. I think that people who have a long term disability should be entitled to the best healthcare and should not have to worry about if they get a job and losing that really important health insurance. You know, there's a lot of people that rely on durable medical equipment and so on and so forth, and so I think that if we can change that and soften up those rules and regulations.
I think you're going to see plenty of people out and about living independent lives. I think that also the cost of living has just been so it's been really challenging for a lot of people with disabilities here in New York. It's made it very, very difficult, and that's something that we don't talk enough about. So we certainly need more affordable housing, but affordable housing that's also accessible for people with disabilities.
You know, Janik, were you so often here at Bloomberg talk about inclusiveness or inclusive activity and feelings of belonging, And it's interesting that, you know, I'm looking at access project dot org and it's really created this community right where folks who have disabilities, Yeah, they can go box, they can go cycle, they can go do yoga, and like these are things like the health community says, you know, no matter what, you stay physically active in some regards,
you're going to have a better life. And this is enabling those individuals to actually partake in this.
Absolutely. I myself, I work out every single day. It's it's ingrained, it's part of my life. It's the same way someone has lunch every single day. They need to eat well. I need to work out, and I know that when I don't work out, I don't feel good. My day feels lousy, it feels different. It's something that makes me feel fulfilled. And it's that same passion that I want to pass on to others. It's the same passion that George Diego, my colleague, wants to pass on
to others. And I think that unfortunately, I think that it's somewhat ingrained as there's a stigmatization because you have a disability, whether you're on a wheelchair or whatever the case might be, that working out might be difficult or you may never work on and I just think that we need to get rid of that. There are plenty of ways to work out. Whether you're in a wheelchair, whether you're blind, whether you're dep it doesn't make a difference.
Everyone deserves the right to work out and deserves to have a facility that they can go to and feel safe and comfortable.
I want to get back to our guest still with us Janick Benjamin Asmier and restaurant tour co founder of the East Harlan Restaurant contento, co founder of Wine on Wheels, Still with us on Zoom in New York City. We've been talking about wine on wheels, grand testing, a grand tasting, I should say grand tasting. I can't even read my
own writing on September tenth. It's all to raise money and awareness for the Access Project, you know, Janick, I was thinking about all the things you do, and I feel like every time we check in with you, there's something more that's you're involved in. How do you think about kind of where you want to, you know, really spend your time and money and efforts, and how do you continue to expand to get your message and mission out.
Well, you know, I've had some time to reflect and for sure, you know, sometimes being everywhere is being nowhere, right, So definitely one of my objectives is to try to streamline responsibilities and objectives and all that. But certainly, you know, restaurants and wine, and that's that's my heart, that's my love. Of course, above all that is my family and spending time with them as much as I can and not
taking that for granted. But of course it's always been something, you know, It's been ingrained in me since I was a child. I was surrounded by some incredible people. I was taught by the Christian brothers, and always trying to give back to those that have less than you, and just not taking for granted the privilege that's been given to me, and really just trying to pay forward. And that's my only goal in life. And I'm not taking anything for granted and living within my means, but also
living according to what nature gives me. And if I can do that, then I'm happy.
Well, it's a great it's a great message for us all.
Jess. How can people get involved in support your cause?
Well, the first thing is you can just go on One on Wheels dot org. You can sign up to our newsletter and if you are interested in coming to One on Wheels on Sunday, September tenth. It starts at eleven am. It shuts down at three pm. But it's a great Sunday afternoon of wonderful wines. There'll be over one hundred and fifty different wines from around the world, poured by forty different restaurants. We'll have food there as well, provided by some great restaurants as well. So definitely a
good Sunday afternoon to be spent. And I would like to offer all of your Bloomberg listeners a twenty percent discount if they put down Why be Friends. So it's Why be Friends fr I E n DS as a discount code and you get twenty percent and again that go to support our goals and our mission and in particular to help the Access Project to open up its stores.
Well, as we said, it's all to raise money and awareness for the Access Project, and I highly recommend people check out the website. Having said that, at eleven am, it starts, So it's just a reminder that it's never too early or too late. Maybe open up a bottle of wine. So we're going to do that. I'm gonna hopefully not break the court because I've been known to
do that. But you were kind enough to send over a bottle of Vernos, and I want you to talk a little bit about it as I open it up, and maybe Jess and Ile'll.
Sample, Yeah, for sure. So that's just one of the many wines that will be serving. And to break the cork, no, you to break it. Good, good, good. So this is one of the wines that I visited and I got to taste. This is made from a grape called vidiano, so completely indigenous to the island of Crete southbound from the mainland of Greece. Really just an extraordinary place, absolutely beautiful, and this is made by a wonderful producer called Sylvia Desklaki.
Just fresh, salty, mineral, everything that you want, especially in this kind of weather where it's hot, muggy. I just think it's complex, it's got a lot of layers to it. And again that's just one of many wines, one of many very unique wines made from really, you know, beautiful producers, family owned producers, small producers that just focus on quality and it's really a great opportunity to learn about wine. We'll also have some cocktails. There are some great beers as well featured.
Well, you know, it's interesting. I'm a red person. I think you know that because we've talked. This is really lovely and it's light, and I could see it going with a lot of stuff as you travel. You know, it's interesting too. I feel like more and more folks that either own and run restaurants are running vineyards, like they're constantly looking for something a little bit different, and I think we all get caught in kind of the establishment.
And I love that we're seeing more and more new vineyards, new innovation, if you will, and just tell me what you're seeing you as you travel around and look for kind of new either vineyards or wine to kind of bring to the public.
For sure.
I mean, I think the one thing that I'm seeing is just the sophistication and the amount of work that's done as far as farming goes, you know, really the respect to the land, sustainability, you know, wanting to really create an environment as far as farming goes, that that will last for generations to come. I Mean, the one thing that you always hear from winemakers is that I want my kids to be able to play in those vineyards.
And sometimes you know, their kids can't play in those vineyards because they're spraying bungal sides, pesticides, you name it. But a lot of the vineyards now globally are kind of staying away from that and really just working alongside nature and doing things as organically and natural as possible. And that's the one thing that I'm really seeing. And also sustainability also, rich is really important, respect to the staff, respect to their employees that are working there, providing them
with respectable wage, housing insurance and all that. So that's really a lot of I mean, you've seen a lot of great changes when it comes to that.
What do you think is the main catalyst for change when it comes to inclusivity.
Well, I think, you know, one thing that we've seen, you know, during these last few years is where I'm seeing at least more than ever more black and brown people drinking wine that are involved in wine in restaurants, which is really really key. And I'm you know, I think for too long, the majority of the business of wine and restaurants were male, white individuals that look like me, and now we're seeing way more people that are just the diversity it's growing. There's still plenty of work that
needs to be done, there's no doubt about that. We still have a long way to go, but definitely there's been a lot of improvement. And I think nothing makes me happier when I go to a vineyard and I see that there are so many more women winemakers out there, There are more people people of black and brown that are making wines. I mean, just recently, it's just extraordinary, believe it or not, I just tasted a wine from
Iran and it's an extraordinary project. They were able to get the grapes from Iran, have a chipped to Sweden and they made the wine in Sweden because obviously you can't make alcohol in Iran, so those are just kind of like that. So it's just well, you know, the world of wine just encompasses history, geography, all of your book.
You're creating incredible communities. The Access Project is as well one on Wheel's Grand Tasting on September tenth, checking out everybody. Yanick be Well, thank you so much,