Officially she is a lawyer, but in fact Beth George has been working as a bagel consultant since 2013, worldwide. From her base in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA (about 20 minutes from New York City), under the name BYOB Bagels – which stands for “Be Your Own Boss” as well as “Build Your Own Business” – she has advised beginners and professionals alike on the opening of some 50 bagel shops. Prospective bagel bakers hire her to teach or adjust recipes, to guide their business plans, and to help set up production. As part of the consultation, Beth George offers follow-up coaching after the hands-on training. Due to travel limitations as a result of the COVID Pandemic, BYOB BAGELS has developed effective methods to train remotely, including real time conferences and training through Zoom, Google Meet and other online platforms, as well as providing detailed materials and training videos.

Many of her clients are newcomers: architects, lawyers, engineers, accountants, teachers, graphic designers and business people. Some, reports The New York Times, are tempted by the adaptability of bagels and believe bagels are easy to make. “It was so much harder than I thought”, said Elizabeth Rubin, an expat from Manhattan, who opened Jimmy & Joan’s New York, two years ago in Gothenburg, Sweden. “There’s the baking itself: days or weeks of trial and error, with different flours and enzymes, to replicate a New York bagel’s distinctive chewiness and crust; adapting the recipe to the local humidity and temperature; and adjusting the amount of time bagels need to “nap,” or “proof.”

While most of Beth George’s clients seek to conjure what she calls “the authentic New York (bagel) experience,” many aim to — or need to — incorporate local influences: a labneh yogurt spread instead of cream cheese in the Middle East, and
bagels with Emmental cheese in France. In Paris and Brisbane, Australia, where crowds lean more towards lunch than breakfast, bagel sandwiches feature pastrami or grilled halloumi. Website: https://byobbagels.com