The Randazzo family has held a storied place in king cake history for more than a half century, since patriarch Salvador "Sam" Randazzo and his sons crafted their recipe in his St. Bernard Parish bakery in 1965.
But after his grandson, Manny Randazzo Jr., opened a Metairie bakery in 1992 and started selling king cake using the family's original recipe, criminal charges and lawsuits ensued.
Here's a timeline of the bakers and their coveted Carnival treat.
1965
Sam Randazzo opens Randazzo's Hi-Lan Bakery in Violet with his three sons. There, they make the recipe for his king cake. The bakery opens a Chalmette location about six years later.
1988
Sam Randazzo dies and leaves the business to his three sons: Lawrence, Manuel Sr. and Anthony.
Manny Randazzo Sr.
1992
Manuel's son, Manny Randazzo, Jr., opens his own bakery in Metairie: Randazzo's Fine Cakes and Pastries.
1993
Lawrence's daughter, Joel Randazzo Forjet, opens Randazzo's King Cake Express in Slidell.
September 1994
Lawrence's son, Salvador Randazzo pens another Violet bakery, Goodchildren Bakery Shoppe, which also sells the original king cake recipe.
December 1994
Family members slap and push each other during an argument, leading to misdemeanor charges and a lawsuit. Five family members got into a "name-calling spat" turned physical. One of Lawrence's children, Lorene Randazzo, filed a civil suit against family members, alleging "severe and disabling injuries," as well as "severe emotional and mental distress."
1995
Lawrence files a lawsuit alleging that Manny Jr.'s Metairie bakery cost Lawrence's Chalmette shop almost $100,000 in king cake sales in 1993 and 1994. The suit is later dropped.
1997
Forjet opens Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery in Slidell.
Felix Forjet Jr. and Joel Randazzo Forjet.
1998
Lawrence dies at age 72.
2005
Anthony dies at 81.
August 2005
Hurricane Katrina destroys Goodchildren Bakery and Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery. Later, Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery reopens in preparation for the 2006 Carnival.
2006
Forjet opens Nonna Randazzo's Italian Bakery and Caffe in Covington with her husband.
2008
Manny Jr.'s ex-wife, Dianne Randazzo, opens Dianne Randazzo LLC bakery in Elmwood. Manny Jr. files a lawsuit, and the judge rules she may not use the Randazzo name. The bakery is now called Caluda's.
2011
A second Nonna Randazzo's Italian Bakery opens in Chalmette, run by fourth generation Kayla and Felix Forjet III.
January 2014
Nonna's opens its third storefront, in Mandeville.
June 2019
Manuel Sr., the last surviving son of patriarch Sam Randazzo, dies at 91.
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