
Yannick Benjamin, Founder Wine on Wheels and Sommelier of the Year
February 6, 2025
Ronald McDonald House Conference Room - 405 East 73rd Street
Yannick is also a co-founder of Wine on Wheels, uniting wine enthusiasts and sommeliers for charitable endeavors. Despite a life-changing car accident in 2003 that left him paralyzed, Yannick pursued his dreams, attending college and becoming a sommelier. His early professional experiences include working at renowned establishments like Le Cirque, Jean-Georges, Felidia, and Atelier at the Ritz Carlton.
Yannick and his partners established Contento Restaurant in East Harlem, which operated with the ethos “accessible for all.” The restaurant exemplified quality hospitality with an inclusive approach until its closure. Yannick’s innovative work at Contento earned widespread acclaim, and he was featured among Wine Enthusiast’s Top 40 under 40 and named Person of the Year by New Mobility Magazine in 2017.
Yannick has served as the resident sommelier on the radio show On The Town with Michael Riedel on AM 970 The Answer and appeared on major networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS. In 2015, he was featured in Uncorked, a documentary series on Esquire TV.
Jancis Robinson of the Financial Times referred to Yannick as “the new star of New York’s gastronomic firmament,” and The Wine Spectator highlighted his ability to showcase a “kinder, gentler side of the profession.” Yannick’s journey and the success of Wheeling Forward, an organization he supports, have been featured in major publications. In 2021, Yannick was recognized as Sommelier/Wine Director of The Year at the Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards.