Life is Service: Isaac Henrion x Isaac’s Bagels

“All I knew was that one day, I wanted to work with food. I have always been so passionate about it, but I hadn’t devoted my life to those passions. I was forced to take some time to myself during the pandemic. Finding yourself without a job will do that. But that time allowed me to reconnect with what I love: food.

I made that first bagel 4 years ago. I churned out bagel, after bagel, after bagel. I sold them at the park, backyards, farmer’s markets, pop-ups, and other restaurants all in pursuit of perfection. In retrospect, those bagels were far from perfect even though the neighborhood loved them.

It took two years to get into a physical location. Our storefront is down the street from where my first bagel sale took place. Some of my day one customers were brought to tears when I shared the news.

We have ~25 employees now. My love for food is still there, but what keeps me going is the energy of the team. A part of this pursuit was realizing that I am not a chef, or baker, or anything fancy, just a person who runs a bagel shop. I know we aren’t changing the world, but it is incredible to see this beautiful ballet of people and food come together. Each bagel runs through so many stations and each step must be executed flawlessly, from kneading the dough and boiling the bagels, to crafting the perfectly melty egg and cheese. Every bagel requires so many different sets of hands to create that perfectly warm, perfectly fresh, first bite. Together, we craft a bagel symphony.

It feels like I’ve lived many lives. I’ve worked with marginalized youth, pursued a PhD in machine learning and artificial intelligence, and now, I get to do what I wanted to do all along — work with food. I’m truly lucky to find happiness in my job. And honestly, there’s nothing better than that.”

— Isaac Henrion
Founder: @isaacs_bagels (Isaac’s Bagels)

Photo series: Life is Service
Pt 12.
Photographed + Interviewed by: Jordan Abdur-Ra’oof @shotbyjbot

Location:
Isaac’s Bagels
1003 West Chapel Hill Street, Durham, NC 27701