Like many Parisians, Johann Tremor grew up surrounded by bread. But it wasn’t until he moved to Miami 13 years ago and began working at a French restaurant that his passion truly took root.
The bread served at the restaurant transported him back to his childhood in Paris. Curious, Tremor sought out the bakery that supplied it and soon developed a friendship with its owner. Before long, he was working alongside the team, discovering the art and science behind every loaf. He became obsessed with each stage of the process—from choosing flours and salts to mixing, kneading, and shaping dough into baguettes, brioche, croissants, rye loaves, and other traditional French breads.
“It taught me a lot of patience,” Tremor says. “Baking bread is a very long process, but it’s very rewarding in the end.”
Tremor’s plans to open a bakery in Miami were derailed by the pandemic. But a chance encounter changed his path: while serving bread and pastries from a food trailer at a hotel, he met a Chattanoogan who introduced him to the Scenic City—and eventually became his business partner.
“He tried the bread once and fell in love with it,” Tremor recalls.
At the time, Tremor and his wife were new parents, already considering where they might want to raise their family. After some research and a short visit, Chattanooga quickly stood out for its affordability, access to the outdoors, and welcoming spirit. By 2022, the family of five had relocated, Tremor had found a property, and his bakery dream was alive once more.
In the meantime, Tremor took a general manager role at a local hotel to get a better sense of the city. Originally he hoped the bakery would be open within a year. While construction and renovations slowed progress on the bakery itself, Tremor wasn’t content to wait idly. He turned to the Kitchen Incubator in East Ridge, using the space to refine his recipes and perfect his craft. At the same time, he was eager to introduce Chattanoogans to his authentic French baguettes and other baked goods. The solution was both practical and inventive: in May, he launched the Bread Membership, a monthly subscription service that allowed locals to get a taste of what was to come.
When it first launched, the Bread Membership offered customers two freshly baked baguettes, two croissants, and a pain au chocolat each week. After a few months of trial and error—and plenty of customer feedback—Tremor shifted to a weekly subscription model with four baguettes per week. The flexibility allows members to pause when needed and pick back up whenever the craving for fresh baguettes and goodies returns.
Now, Tremor is fully focused on bringing L’allée Boulangerie to life. He anticipates opening the bakery in early 2026. The menu will spotlight the traditional French baguette alongside other favorites like focaccia, cheese bread, whole wheat and rye loaves, croissants, pastries, and more. The bakery will also serve a light menu of sandwiches, salads, soups, and bowls.
In the meantime, weekly bread memberships remain open, and Tremor’s bakes can also be found on the dinner menu at Adelle’s Crêperie.
Through every delay, Tremor has kept his focus on the vision that inspired him: bringing the joy of authentic French bread to Chattanooga. After 13 years, he recently earned his U.S. citizenship, an accomplishment of which he’s very proud.
“It’s been such a long journey,” he says. “There’s always going to be some pushback and obstacles. You just have to stay optimistic, keep pushing forward, and you’ll be rewarded.”