When Nolita’s hippest bagel shop, Black Seed Bagels, tapped East London bakery owner Claire Ptak as the newest collaborator in their celebrity chef bagel series, we had no clue what the 2 foodie favorites would cook up. The result is one-of-a-kind bagel recipe: a simple, yet delicious, sesame bagel with halva cream cheese—available exclusively on UberEATS this week.

We caught up with Claire, an American pastry chef who owns the London-based Violet Cakes and is one of Jamie Oliver’s favorite bakers, to learn more about her new-found love for halva, her favorite New York eateries, and which ingredients inspire her every day.

What inspired this collaboration with Black Seed Bagels and UberEATS?

I’m new to Black Seed since I live in London, but I LOVE what they are doing and all my New Yorker friends love them. I was delighted to work with them. I am obsessed with halva so developing the recipe was a no brainer. I’m really excited to be working with [Black Seed] and equally excited to be working with Uber! I have a slightly problematic Uber habit …

What’s the must-have treat at Violet Cakes?

Chocolate caramel rum cake for the rich chocolate lovers and summer spelt cake for the fruit lovers. We make a beautifully light spelt and almond sponge and top it with seasonal fruits and then bake it into a jammy and delicious treat.

 

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Black Seed is expanding their celebrity chef bagel series with a special collaboration bagel created by Claire Ptak, owner of Violet Cakes bakery.

What do you want people to feel when they eat your food?

Sated.

Where do you love to eat in NYC?

Estela, John Dory, Navy, and Diner were my favorites on my last visit.

What’s your favorite ingredient to work with?

Whatever fruits are in season. They inspire everything I do. I am a country girl so I’m pretty in touch with nature. Living in London now, it’s a great way to stay grounded and connected to the earth. And also because fruit is delicious.

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“I would really really like to have baked a cake for Miles Davis. I have baked to his music for so many years and it would be amazing to actually bake for him, not just to him.” – Claire Ptak

What can fans of Violet Cakes look forward to this year?

I’m starting work on my next book so that will be exciting. More savory recipes to come! I’ll always be a baker first and foremost, but I’m actually a very good cook, too. So this book will look at that a lot.

If you could bake a cake for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you make them?

I would really, really like to have baked a cake for Miles Davis. I have baked to his music for so many years and it would be amazing to actually bake for him, not just to him. I’m sure a lot of what I do is inadvertently inspired by his music.

 

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Black Seed Bagels and Violet Cake’s collaboration bagel will be available exclusively on UberEATS this week.

UberEats is available Monday – Friday from 11am – 2pm, with delivery available between 14th and 59th St in Manhattan. For more info, check out ubereats.com/eats/nyc.