BagelFest West winner: Chef John Park Wins Top Prize in Los Angeles
BagelFest West winner Korean American chef John Park captured the top honor at the first West Coast edition of the globally recognized bagel festival held in Los Angeles.
Park’s Irvine-based bagel shop Rise Bagels won the festival’s highest award, “Best of the West,” at the BagelFest event held April 12 at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Los Angeles Koreatown. The shop also won the “Most Creative” category, securing two awards at the competition.
More than 1,000 attendees, including professionals from the culinary, hospitality, and media industries, gathered at the event, which featured tastings, panel discussions, and a bagel competition.
Creative Bagels Earn Top Honors
The dishes that helped secure the BagelFest West winner title showcased bold global flavors and creative combinations.
One winning item was the Tokyo Egg Salad Bagel, featuring a furikake bagel topped with Tokyo negi schmear, quail eggs, and house-made Korean chili crisp.
Another standout was the Strawberry Bagel, combining strawberries with beet-strawberry ganache, cookie butter schmear, and a citrus-basil vinaigrette.
These inventive creations highlighted Park’s culinary philosophy of blending classic baking techniques with global influences.
From Fine Dining Pastry Chef to Bagel Innovator
Park spent many years working as a pastry chef in the fine dining industry, building extensive experience in dough and bread.
Rise Bagels opened in November 2025, after Park initially explored launching a pizza concept before shifting his focus to bagels.
“I had been watching BagelFest in New York for years,” Park said. “When I heard it was coming to the West Coast, I knew I had to participate. Just being part of the event is an honor.”
Park emphasizes that detail is the defining factor in bagel making.
“Every small step in the process can change the final result,” he explained. “That’s what separates an average bagel from a great one.”
A Southern California Style of Bagels
While Park appreciates traditional New York bagels, he designed Rise Bagels to reflect the Southern California lifestyle.
“Our bagels are lighter and fluffier on the inside, while maintaining a good chew,” he said. “The outside stays crisp and hearty, making them perfect for sandwiches and open-faced dishes.”
At the festival, Rise Bagels presented three sandwiches:
- Birria Sandwich: Everything bagel with pumpkin seed chimichurri, miso toum, onion, cilantro, and consommé
- Strawberry Sandwich: Salt sesame bagel with strawberry and beet ganache, cookie butter schmear, and citrus-basil vinaigrette
- Egg Salad Sandwich: Furikake bagel with egg salad, Tokyo negi schmear, quail eggs, and Korean chili crisp
Korean Flavors Meet the Growing SoCal Bagel Scene
Park believes bagel culture in Southern California is rapidly expanding.
“Bagels are becoming a bigger part of the local food culture,” he said. “It’s exciting to see people enjoying so many different styles.”
Rise Bagels also serves Korean-inspired bagel sandwiches using bulgogi, kimchi, and perilla leaves, which have become popular with customers in the Korean American community.
In addition, the shop donates 33% of its profits to Liberty in North Korea (LINK), a nonprofit supporting North Korean human rights.
Park hopes the recognition as a BagelFest West winner will help share his passion for bagels with more people.
“We hope our love for bagels reaches a wider audience,” he said. “And we look forward to welcoming people to our shop someday.”
