What’s the difference between a Montreal bagel and a New York bagel?

"What’s the difference between a Montreal bagel and a New York bagel?"

If I had a dollar for every time we were asked that at the market, I’d be rich! For a long time, we struggled to answer it simply.

My roots are in Montreal. It’s where I first fell in love with bagels back in the late 1960s after my mother, Mirel, introduced me to them. I was completely mesmerized by the science behind them—hand-rolling, honey-water blanching, and wood-fired baking. Ever since I emigrated to the U.S. in 1987, I dreamed of bringing that authentic taste to America.

But my lovely wife, Cheryl, brought me back to earth with a great point: we live in the U.S., and most folks here know and love the classic New York bagel.

So, we asked ourselves: Why not give people the best of both worlds?

We set out to bridge the gap. We combined the satisfying size and texture of a New York bagel with the rich, distinct flavor profile of a Montreal classic. The result? A whole new style of bagel—lighter, more flavorful, and wonderfully balanced. On top of that, after a full year of dialing in the science behind the scenes, we created a signature sourdough bagel that we couldn’t be prouder of.

Now, over 50 years after tasting my first Montreal bagel, that dream has come full circle right here in Florida. But replicating my hometown favorite is only part of the puzzle. Our true goal is to keep pushing the art of bagel baking forward—and, most importantly, use our bakery to support our core mission: creating inclusive, diverse work opportunities for individuals with special needs.