« I am French, American and born in Hell’s Kitchen ». This is how the sommelier Yannick Benjamin introduced himself, but he could say the same about his new business, Beaupierre Wines and Spirits.
Located at 10th Avenue and 47th Street, this small winery has been delighting local customers since November. It also has strong sentimental value for the 45-year-old entrepreneur: it’s a tribute to his childhood Hell’s Kitchen and to the legacy of his parents, who came from France after the Second World War. His mother Françoise, originally from Bordeaux, moved to New York in the 1970s as an au pair, « looking for a new adventure »while his father, Pierre Benjamin, was one of many immigrants from the small Breton town of Gourin to have crossed the Atlantic in search of opportunity.
He set foot in New York on January 3, 1963, just sixty years ago, leaving the family farm behind. « His brothers were already in New York, he joined them. He lived the classic story of the immigrant. His first job was as a dishwasher in a restaurant (La Grenouille, ed) »explains Yannick Benjamin.
Beaupierre, «handsome Pierre»
With his wife, whom he met in New York, his father moved to Hell’s Kitchen. Beaupierre has settled on the block where they still live and where Yannick Benjamin spent his youth. « My father spoke two languages: the first was Breton, the second was French. He wanted him to grow up in a multicultural environment. This is what New York, and Hell’s Kitchen in particular, offered at the time.remember. There were a lot of Irish-American and Hispanic kids… I was exotic to them because I had a name they’d never heard of. To them I was French, but when I went to France in the summer I was American. ».
Since then, the neighborhood has « gentrified », but Yannick Benjamin remained loyal to New York. Before riding Beaupierre, referring to his father’s nickname,« handsome Pierre »the sommelier worked in several renowned local establishments (Le Cirque, Jean-Georges, The University Club, the Atelier at the Ritz Carlton, etc.) and opened his own restaurant, Happy, in East Harlem, where he also curates the wine list. His wife, Heidi Turzyn, also has a great track record in the hospitality industry. She was notably the wine and beverage manager at the famed Gotham Bar and Grill, a Village institution, and for Chef David Burke’s restaurants.
The two lovebirds met in BurdiGala, a major Bordeaux tasting event held in Manhattan. When the pandemic hit, the couple decided to embark on a new adventure. « During the health crisis, we wondered about the future of catering. We wondered what we could have done. When we realized that the future Beaupierre venue was empty, we decided to open a wine shop there given our experience in the sector. Given Yannick’s ties to the neighborhood, it was the ideal place! »explained Heidi Turzyn.
An inclusive structure
Customers are greeted upon entry by menus from Maxim’s and La Côte Basque, where Pierre Benjamin worked. As for the wines, you are spoiled for choice. More than five hundred labels from various regions (France, Central Europe, Latin America, etc.) are offered. Their common point: the wines have all been tested by Yannick Benjamin and/or his wife.
Paraplegic from a car accident in 2003 on the West Side Highway, the French-American also wants to make Beaupierre an inclusive establishment for customers and employees. An ambition that is reflected in its wine selection, which includes the production of disabled, indigenous or socially responsible winegrowers.
« I’ve always been part of a minority. Growing up in Hell’s Kitchen, I was one of the few white people in the middle of a mix of ethnicities. Then, at 25, I had an accident. A sturdy guy, 6’1″ tall, with no health issues, I suddenly found myself in a wheelchair full time. These experiences have made me more aware of forms of discrimination », explains the entrepreneur, who is also behind the foundation Roll forward dedicated to improving the daily life of people with disabilities. « We want to make everyone feel welcome in our home. Because, even if we do a good job on our scale, the world of wine is far from having eliminated all barriers ».
