Status Dough's family-recipe doughnuts are a hit in Farragut
It was a serendipitous day when Joe Seiber, a Chicago native, met Jimmy Wooten while attending UT. They became fast friends, and now that friendship has led to three extra-sweet locations of Status Dough Donuts and Coffee shops, the latest in Farragut.
Seiber returned home to a small town outside Chicago to work in the family restaurant business. Wooten came to visit him around 2016 and the plan was hatched to go into business together – and why not doughnuts!
Seiber was eager to return to Knoxville. Wooten is a native, having grown up in Karns and graduated from Karns High School.
“It’s the mountains, and the air, and the people,” said Seiber. “Knoxville is a special place, a very special place. I love it here.”
Farragut, the latest in the line of doughnut shops, started quietly but was soon discovered and is now doing a booming business. The 1,400-square-foot shop used to be the location of The Farragut Table and Mario’s Pizza at 10943 Kingston Pike.
The doughnut shop in Farragut still has a pizza kitchen, so the doughnuts are made at Bearden Hill, the flagship Status Dough.
Status Dough uses family recipe
“Joe was up at 2 a.m. making doughnuts. It’s been a busy day here in Farragut, said Wooten.
The doughnuts are special at Status Dough. All the recipes come from Seiber’s family.
Doughnuts are available in a variety of flavors and styles, from yeast to cake to buttermilk. “Our yeast is a brioche dough that is out of this world good. I think we’ve done so well because our doughnuts are different than anything you can get in Knoxville,” said Wooten.
Coffee from Costa Rica, Brazil
“Status Dough is the place you want to go for a good cup of coffee,” he said. “The coffee is Intelligentsia coffee. It is a direct trade company that works with about 200 farms around the world. It is sourced from Costa Rica and Brazil.
“We make dozens of specialty drinks the customers seem to enjoy, anything from Americano to Chai Latte to anything in between. We have an assortment of flavorings and milk alternatives to satisfy that longing for a really good cup of coffee paired with the best doughnut you’ve ever tasted.”
May add pizza
Seiber has a special twinkle in his eyes these days. He’s trying to hatch a plan to use the pizza kitchen to make authentic Chicago-style pizza.
“People think Chicago-style pizza is a deep dish style. That’s for tourists. The crust is actually much thinner. It’s a special pizza, and I’m thinking of ways of bringing it to this Farragut location.”
The Farragut location of Status Dough, 10943 Kingston Pike, is open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday and Tuesday.
Info: www.statusdoughnuts.com
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Status Dough family-recipe doughnuts a hit in Farragut Tennessee
