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from the good-things-coming-from-bad-situations dept.
Submitted via IRC for Runaway1956
Universo Santi in the southern Spanish city of Jerez is dedicated to helping people with disabilities join the mainstream workforce
The first thing that strikes you is the calm, the light, the modern art on the walls – and then of course the food.
It's only later that you realise there is something different, and a little special, about Universo Santi, a restaurant in the southern Spanish city of Jerez.
"People don't come here because the staff are disabled but because it's the best restaurant in the area. Whatever reason they came for, the talking is about the food," says Antonio Vila.
Vila is the president of the Fundación Universo Accesible, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping people with disabilities join the mainstream workforce. He has also been the driving force behind Universo Santi, the haute cuisine restaurant whose 20 employees all have some form of disability.
[...] The 20 staff, whose ages range from 22 to 62, were recruited from an original list of 1,500. To qualify, applicants had to be unemployed and have more than 35% disability.
[...] The Jerez restaurant takes its name from Santi Santamaria, chef at the Michelin three-star Can Fabes in Catalonia until his sudden death in 2011. Can Fabes closed shortly afterwards but his family wanted to carry on his name and culinary tradition and were keen to support the Jerez project.
The family's enthusiasm attracted the attention of Spain's top chefs, among them Martín Berasategui, Roca and Ángel León, all of whom have contributed recipes and their time as guest chefs at the restaurant.
Disciples of Santamaria helped establish the kitchen, whose equipment was transferred in its entirely from Can Fabes, and several of the dishes on the menu de degustación are Santamaria originals.
The restaurant has been visited by Michelin Guide personnel and may soon have its first Michelin star.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/10/universo-santi-spanish-restaurant-disabilities-jerez
(Score: 5, Interesting) by aiwarrior on Wednesday June 12 2019, @08:47AM (1 child)
I normally disagree with the positive discrimination based on race or gender and others, because i consider that those are not disabilities therefore no special favor should be done. I also agree that there should not be negative discrimination for non disable people.
People with actual medically verified disabilities are indeed vulnerable and their social ailments need to be taken care of. If they are veritably disabled then there is scientific and medical evidence they need help, and society improves by making them independent, even if at a cost. Hopefully the cost is lower than having them completely dependent.
Every other discrimination is just fighting prejudice with prejudice, even legitimizing prejudice.
(Score: 2) by Popeidol on Wednesday June 12 2019, @05:05PM
I got half way through a reply and realized I was just repeating what you said, it's a good summary.
Something like this is probably cost neutral before you even start figuring in societal benefits and the the improved life for the workers. It costs a lot to move somebody from government support to supporting themselves, but it's a lot cheaper than supporting them for life.
Nobody is about to lose their job because every restaurant wants disabled chefs, and there is no cool new disability-exclusive chain restaurant spreading around the country. Nobody is getting overrun. This might change some assumptions and get people hired for jobs they have the ability to do. That improves their lives and the lives of those around them.
Disclaimer: I work in the disability employment sector