Rise Bagels, the Irvine shop known for putting Tokyo-style egg salad and bulgogi on its bagels, is heading to the epicenter of the breakfast staple: New York City.
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Chef John Park’s bagel outfit will join Carlsbad’s Inglorious Bagels at New York BagelFest in November in Queens. The lineup includes more than 25 bagel makers from five countries, according to event organizers.
Rise already has a couple of first-place trophies under its apron. At the inaugural BagelFest West in Los Angeles in April, Park won Best of the West and Most Creative accolades for its Tokyo Egg Salad and Fruit Bagel. Inglorious finished second in the yeasted bagel category.
Judges and attendees will judge winners across several categories, including Best Bagel, Schmear of the Year, Best Showmanship, Best Bialy and Most Creative. Guests will also vote for People’s Choice, while the World Bagel Rolling Championship is just as it sounds, a bagel roll tournament testing competitors’ speed and precision.
Winners will be announced Nov. 15.
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Bagels have seen a surge in popularity as of late, with California hosting an influx of bagel shops over the last few years as the bread experiences its second-wave. While noteworthy bagels were once relegated to few major cities — most notably in New York City — investors have taken note of the modern bagel renaissance, funding numerous legacy and modern brands. New York City favorite H&H Bagels have reached Los Angeles, with PopUp Bagels opening in L.A. and San Diego.
According to market-research firm Grand View Research, the U.S. bagel market pulled in roughly $3.1 billion in revenue in 2025 with projections to climb to $4.5 billion by 2033.
For the uninitiated, Rise has, in less than a year, risen to become one of Orange Country’s top bagel shops. Park cut his culinary teeth as a pastry chef at notable spots like Providence, Water Grill, the Ritz-Carlton and Toast Kitchen Bakery and Bar. Rise opened in Irvine in early November.
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Find it: 2010 Main St., Suite180, Irvine, instagram.com/risebagels