Potchke plans for new location, after flurry of national awards and recognitions
"Growing up as a young chef, you think about the Michelin Guide. But I never thought that we would have that kind of honor here in Knoxville. I still pinch myself. I can't believe it's true," said Potchke's owner, Laurence Faber.
Knoxville’s food scene is gaining recognition on the national culinary map, and one chef with two thriving concepts is at the center of it.
Potchke Deli and Potchke Bagel, the creations of chef and co-owner Laurence Faber, have emerged as must-see spots in the American South. Potchke Deli appeared in the new American South Michelin Guide, and Potchke Bagel returned from the 2025 New York BagelFest with multiple awards, including “best bialy.”
Now, Faber has been named as a semi-finalist for the James Beard Awards, which many consider the”Oscars of the food world.” The awards have been around since 1986 and regularly honor the most influential chefs and restaurants across the country. While winners will be celebrated on June 15 in Chicago, the next date to watch for is March 31 – that’s when chef nominees will be officially announced for the awards.
The nomination could be just in time for Faber to open his third restaurant concept in Knoxville, which he said is slated to open in mid-March.
The rise to a food entrepreneur
Faber began his culinary career at Blackberry Farm in Townsend, where he worked as the site’s pastry chef for three years. When he decided to leave Blackberry, Faber and his wife, Emily Williams, started a bobka business. They baked and sold the Jewish-style braided bread out of their home.
“Next thing you know, we were selling them during the pandemic off our doorstep. There was a line down the block, and this little babka business turned into something a little bit bigger,” he said.
The opening of Potchke Deli in 2022
Potchke Deli came first with the vision of becoming a Jewish-style deli that could also serve as a community gathering space. The deli, located at the Crossroads of Gay Street and Magnolia Avenue, opened in March 2022 and remains one of the most visited breakfast and lunch spots in historic downtown Knoxville.
“One reason why I think Knoxville is such an exciting place to open a Jewish deli is that there hasn’t been a lot of tradition of Jewish delis in Knoxville, and so it’s really let us experiment and kind of find our own ground,” Faber said.
The opening of Potchke Bagel in 2025
Potchke Bagel came about almost three years later and was an instant community hit. The concept focuses almost exclusively on bagels, baking more than 1,200 bagels in-house daily.
“We decided we needed a second location because we were baking all of our bread and babka here at the deli, and our kitchen is very small,” he said. “But, in the process of searching for larger kitchen capabilities, we tried a bagel recipe. The bagel recipe ended up being one of the best things we ever made.”
Potchkr Bagel opened its doors in January of 2025 and almost immediately went gangbusters.
“The lines are consistently out the door, so we’ve taken over the space next door to us in that shopping center as well,” Faber said. “It used to be a T-Mobile, and now it’s going to be our walk-in cooler, along with an extra dining room. This will allow us to make even more bagels, more seating, and more breathing room for our staff.”
The bagels created at Potchke Bagel won big at the 2025 New York BagelFest.
“We hadn’t even been open a year, and we ended up taking home three gold medals and third place for best bagel overall,” Faber said. “The medals were ‘Most Creative,’ ‘Best Outside of the Burrows’ (outside of New York), and ‘Best Biali.'”
The opening of a new concept in 2026
“We’re planning to open another concept, which is going to be a French bistro restaurant that has Jewish influences along with some Eastern European dishes. It will all be under kind of the guise of traditional French bistro cooking,” Faber announced. “We plan for that restaurant to be located at North Broadway, right by the Press Room and Yeehaw.”
However, even with recognition on the National stage, Faber remains committed to his community and local concepts.
“If there was any advice I could give about opening a small business, I would say do it in a city where you have roots and connections. It makes all the difference,” he said.
Every day when Faber comes to work, he gets to glance up at the wall and be reminded of all he and his wife, Emily, have achieved in Knoxville. They have two successful restaurants, with a third on the way; their bagels are some of the best in the country, and they now have a spot on the Michelin Guide.
“Growing up as a young chef, you think about the Michelin Guide and wanting to eat and work at one. But I never thought that we would have that kind of honor here in Knoxville. To receive this plaque and this honor is mind-blowing. I still pinch myself. I can’t believe it’s true,” Faber shared.
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