Oren Salomon of Starship Bagel: Pushing the Boundaries of Bagel Culture
Earning BagelFest’s titles of "Schmear of the Year" and "Best Bagel" once is a feat, but Starship Bagel has done it multiple times. Widely recognized for his Dallas-based shop's innovative spirit and championship-quality bakes, owner Oren Salomon joined Bagel Ambassador Sam Silverman on BagelFest’s Bagel Buzz Instagram live series to talk about Starship Bagel’s meteoric rise.
Rising Through the Ranks
Oren is not just a returning competitor to New York BagelFest, but also a trailblazer who flies his team out a month early from Texas to hone their craft ahead of the event. What’s at stake? For Oren, it’s about more than awards: “Our mission is to spread love through food… we’re there to have fun, knock people’s socks off, and serve them the best bite that they can get that day.”
But Starship Bagel can’t help but attract acclaim. Recently, Starship Bagel became a finalist in the James Beard Awards for Outstanding Bakery—a monumental achievement, considering bagels’ historical status as humble street fare. “To be dressed in a tux around other fancy people... That's new, uncharted territory for bagels,” Oren reflected.
A Bagel Shop on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
Another highlight for Starship Bagel was their memorable appearance on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The selection process, which Oren describes as “the most detailed interview I’ve ever done,” revealed the depth of Guy’s involvement: “Guy hand-selects the places he eats… it’s Guy’s show.” Fieri’s encyclopedic knowledge of kitchen equipment was as impressive as his warmth. The story of flour spilled on Guy’s shoe (in pursuit of product placement for King Arthur Flour) proved that even in the world of food television, authenticity and passion win out.
But the real highlight? Guy’s on-camera reaction to Starship’s bagels: “You’re the real deal.” After one dry, everything bagel, Guy asked for a dozen to go—an honor so rare that the production crew insisted Oren appreciate its significance.
Learning and Growing at the Largest Bakery Expo
No journey to excellence is complete without seeking inspiration beyond one's own niche. Oren attended IBIE, the Western Hemisphere’s largest bakery trade show, describing it as a transformative experience: “I learned more about baking in three days at IBIE than I’ve learned the last three years operating Starship Bagel.” The expo’s diversity demonstrated that innovation often happens outside one’s lane, providing fresh perspectives on both ingredients and bakery culture at large.
Lightning Round
Bagel lovers are known for strong opinions, and Oren did not disappoint during Bagel Buzz’s lightning round: his favorite is cream cheese and lox over bacon, egg, and cheese; he personally prefers untoasted bagels but recognizes customers’ wishes for toasting; he gives a firm no to scooped bagels (“We put way too much love into this dough to scoop it out for you”); and once against rainbow bagels, he now appreciates their inclusivity message but remains wary of food dye.
One perennial debate in bagel circles is whether New York’s tap water is the secret behind great bagels. Oren offers a nuanced take: “Water is important… but there’s not really anything mythical about New York water.” With advances in filtration and remineralization, great bagels can be baked anywhere if you know what you’re aiming for.
Shaping Bagel Culture, One Bite at a Time
From Dallas to the James Beard Awards, from television fame to bakery expositions, Starship Bagel and its founder are redefining what it means to make (and enjoy) great bagels. But at the heart of their journey is a clear message: bagels are not just food—they are culture, community, and love. That energy was unmistakable at this year’s BagelFest, where the creativity and enthusiasm of bagel lovers like Oren made the event a joyful celebration of all things bagel.
Check out Starship Bagel’s website and Instagram.
The Bagel Buzz is presented by Sauce — the pickup and delivery network built for restaurants, helping them keep more of every online order and strengthen their customer relationships. Try it free for six months with the code BAGELBUZZ25.
Catch more Bagel Buzz conversations on Instagram @bagelfest