Restaurant Owners Uncorked · 2026-04-24 · 58 min
Jeremy Rhodes and Ali Chetkof Rhodes discuss the rapid growth of their business, Moonrise Bagels. The couple shares the story of how a pandemic-era experiment with "stuffing" a bagel with pizza ingredients evolved from a home-kitchen project into a multi-unit operation with a flagship location in New York City’s Greenwich Village. Jeremy and Ali detail their transition from established corporate careers to full-time entrepreneurship, highlighting the operational challenges of moving from a small-town shop to the competitive Manhattan market. The conversation explores their unique product, which reimagines the bagel as a complete, handheld meal, and their focus on maintaining high quality through a handmade commissary process while expanding their reach nationwide via Goldbelly. 10 Key Takeaways The "Accidental" Business: Moonrise Bagels began when Jeremy had leftover pizza sauce and decided to experiment by stuffing it inside bagel dough, leading to immediate viral interest on Instagram. Simplicity Scales: Jeremy advocates for a simple business model with a low SKU count to ensure operational efficiency and higher profit margins.
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