Yannick Benjamin was at the helm of Contento winery, a top 100 restaurant in NYC according to the New York Times, before it closed its doors. The bitter decision, made with regret as co-owner, closed an important chapter in his life. Although he would have liked to continue, financial circumstances prevented him from continuing to daydream.
Cover photo: Mikhail Lipyanskiy
The News
The best sommelier for Michelin Guide New York 2023, who was severely compromised after a bad car accident, recounts the end of his dream. He shares his experience, albeit a negative one, through a lengthy personal reflection; the poignant, river-long outburst was published in a famous U.S. newspaper.
"For the past six months I have had to make excruciating decisions while trying to monitor income and expenses, all to keep the restaurant lights on. When bookings became scarce, I made the regretful choice to fire someone, let the second bartender leave first or rely on one dishwasher instead of two,” Yannick Benjamin tells the New York Times.
Significantly, the weight of the difficulties encountered in three years of service, during which the NYT ranked Contento in East Harlem among the best 100 restaurants in NYC.
The co-owner continues, "The combination of inflation, rising crime, which forced us to pay security guards, and declining profits proved impossible to overcome. I am devastated that we were forced to close, but on the one hand I am relieved. Running the business in 2024 meant that not only was I drawing no salary, but at the same time I needed to work full time in the hospitality industry to be able to afford private health insurance. This is what it means to be disabled in America. In May 2020, chefs, executives and professionals in the field went to the White House to urge higher-ups about federal assistance for restaurateurs. They even created theIndependent Restaurant Coalition. Yet, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 40 percent of the category received access to health coverage last year, which suggests that 17 million compatriots skip routine annual checkups. And then low pay affects the continued resignation of employees, not to mention the lack of benefits that would allow them to live with dignity. To give you an example, the wheelchair costs me $13,000, of which $6,000 is reimbursed by the provider, the rest I pour out of my own pocket.".
He concludes, "My father, a French immigrant, became a waiter: his membership in a union that worked closely with institutions of haute cuisine was a guarantee for the family's livelihood. In 2023 less than 1.5 percent of employees in the field were unionized. This is because it is virtually unthinkable for an independent innkeeper to shell out money for union benefits and hire workers like my dad amid rent increases, planned user fees, and staff turnover rates. Consequently, my question is: Are there any other options but to leave? Other jobs support physical and mental well-being by offering the option of staying at home in the event of illness, difficulty with one's children or bereavement. This allows one to be able to deal with delicate situations without compromising one's work-life balance.".
