Watch out NYC, Seattle’s bringing a bagel boom

In the culinary world, bagels are synonymous with New York City – but Seattle has emerged as a surprising contender in the realm of exceptional bagels. While initially a small part of Seattle’s food scene, the city’s bagel culture has flourished in the past few years, fueled by a dedication to traditional methods, a spirit of innovation – and the persistent need to just have a place to get a good bagel!

Rachel Belle, host of the James Beard Award-nominated podcast, Your Last Meal, has heard far too many times that there aren’t any good bagels in Seattle, and she’s here to set the record straight! The city is in the midst of a bagel boom, and to prove it, she embarks on a delectable journey through the city’s emerging bagel scene.

In this premiere episode, Rachel meets with the two of the region’s most influential bagel-makers: Roan Hartzog of Mt. Bagel and Andrew Rubinstein of Hey Bagel. She first visits Roan’s storefront, where she learns more about his process of hand-rolling, boiling and baking each bagel – and gets a taste of the often-sold-out doughy treat herself. Rachel then joins Andrew for a pop-up bagel adventure, discovering how he approaches bagel-making as an artisan craft all its own.