RICHMOND, Va. — If you think all bagels are created equal, one Richmond baker might just change your mind.
Yero Rudzinskas, owner of Baltik's Bagel, has turned his passion for the "perfect bagel" into a thriving business that's catching national attention. After training in Michelin-star kitchens, Rudzinskas moved to Richmond and opened Baltik's Bagel on Forest Hill Avenue in 2024.
Just one year later, his dedication paid off when he won the People's Choice Award at the New York Bagelfest.
Rudzinskas said that victory tripled their business overnight.
So what makes Baltik's stand out from other bagel shops?
"I have this kind of Platonic image of what a bagel should be," Rudzinskas said. "And so, for me, a bagel should have an eggshell crust. It should have this kind of micro surface blistering here that you see. It should have body. It should be dense; it shouldn't feel light. It should be kind of custardy on the crumb. It should snap on the chew."
Rudzinskas explained that he researched the historical origins of bagels and integrated traditional baking methods into his process.
"I took a look at where bagels were coming from, historically, and I took a look at the type of baking they did, and we integrated some of those things into our process," Rudzinskas said. "And what we came up with was not what this looks like right away. You know, it's evolved, and it continues to evolve and incrementally improve, but it was a really good bagel to start out with, and it was great to join the other really good bagel shops here in Richmond, right?"
The shop also offers the convenience of a drive-thru for customers on the go.
Rudzinskas shared more details about his award-winning bagel secrets on the Eat It, Virginia podcast, hosted by Scott Wise and Robey Martin. The podcast is available on Spotify or the CBS 6 YouTube page, or watch the video below.
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