More Than a Bagel: Exploring New York’s Food Culture with Christopher Pugliese

This time, the Edible Valley Podcast takes a trip beyond Vancouver Island and heads to one of the world’s great food cities: New York.

Chef Jonathan Frazier sits down with Christopher Pugliese, owner and operator of Tompkins Square Bagels in Manhattan’s East Village, to talk about the craft, culture, and traditions behind one of New York’s most iconic foods.

Christopher’s story is about more than making a great bagel. It’s about learning a craft, building a business, connecting with a neighbourhood, and understanding the traditions that make New York’s food scene so distinctive.

We explore what makes a New York bagel special, from hand-rolling and kettle-boiling to the importance of fresh ingredients and traditional techniques. Along the way, we talk about entrepreneurship, the East Village, and the role independent food businesses play in keeping local food culture alive.

Food has a way of telling the story of a place. Sometimes that story comes on a plate, and sometimes it comes wrapped in a little paper bag with a really good bagel inside.

Join us as the Edible Valley takes off to explore another food community and discovers why there’s always more to the story than what’s on the plate.

About Our Guest

Christopher Pugliese is the owner and operator of Tompkins Square Bagels, an independent New York bagel business founded in the East Village in 2011. Built around traditional bagel-making methods and a strong connection to its neighbourhood, Tompkins Square Bagels has become part of New York’s vibrant food landscape.

Listen in and discover more about the people, traditions, and passion behind great food.