Meet the Husband and Wife Duo

After spending over a decade living and working in Manhattan's restaurant industry, my husband and I moved to Nashville at the end of 2020, where we finally realized our long-held dream of opening a neighborhood bagel concept. With our combined experience of over 20 years in hospitality, we were more than ready to make this a reality.

My own culinary journey began at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, where I graduated in 2012 and worked my way up to Sous Chef before transitioning to Front of House Operations for the last 9 years.

As for my husband Niko, he came to America from Albania in 2011 and worked his way up in the restaurant industry from a busboy to a manager while putting himself through school, where he eventually graduated with a degree in Accounting and Economics from Queens College. After a 9-year career in banking, he rose to Senior Premier Banking in Wealth Management but ultimately decided to pursue his passion for bagel-making alongside me.

We are thrilled to introduce you to Benji's Bagel & Coffee House, named after our carb loving 5 year-old son. Our passion for hospitality, people and love for bagels has led us here, and we can't wait to share it with our new community.

- Becca and Niko Bendaj