The Randazzo family owned and operated the Camellia Club bar and restaurant in St. Bernard Parish from 1952 to 1973. When the Camellia Club closed, the family decided to partition off what had been its dance hall to use as a bakery. The Randazzo brothers — Manuel Sr., Lawrence, and Tony — opened Hi-Lan Bakery in 1965. Here, the renowned Randazzo king cake was born.
When the bakery outgrew its space, the family relocated to Chalmette to open Randazzo’s Hi-Lan Bakery in 1971. Manuel Sr. managed baking duties, while his wife, “Mickey” Randazzo, managed retail. Manuel Sr. and Mickey passed their philosophy down to their oldest child, Tricia Randazzo-Zornes: "If it looks great, people are going to buy it, and if it tastes great too, they are going to come back.” Meanwhile, Manuel Sr. trained Tricia’s husband, Lou Zornes, in the art of baking.
When Manuel Sr. suffered a heart attack in 1987, Lou assumed his baking duties. When Tricia’s mother passed away in 1994, Tricia assumed her mother’s role. Together, Tricia and Lou carried forward the family’s traditional recipes, techniques, and presentations.
The more you’re handling the dough, the more tender and flavorful it gets. That’s what my father-in-law taught me, and that is how I taught my son. The proof is in the final product.Lou
The more you’re handling the dough, the more tender and flavorful it gets. That’s what my father-in-law taught me, and that is how I taught my son. The proof is in the final product.
By the 1980’s and 90’s, king cakes gained popularity and the business in Louisiana became highly competitive. In 1996, Randazzo's Hi-Lan bakery in Chalmette officially closed for business. Manuel Sr. opted for retirement, while Lou and Tricia decided they wanted to open their own bakery closer to Slidell, Louisiana, where they were raising their son, Zach.
On October 21, 1997, Lou and Tricia opened Randazzo’s Camellia City Bakery, and their Hi-Lan customers followed suit. To this day, it is the oldest and longest running Randazzo’s bakery on New Orleans’ Northshore. The bakery’s name has special meaning for Lou and Tricia; the city of Slidell is known as Camellia City, and the name pays tribute to the historic Camellia Club.
We want to do it the old-fashioned way and we’ll probably die doing it the old-fashioned way, only because we feel like it is the best way. That’s what our customers deserve.Tricia
We want to do it the old-fashioned way and we’ll probably die doing it the old-fashioned way, only because we feel like it is the best way. That’s what our customers deserve.
Unlike most high-volume bakeries in the area, Randazzo’s Camellia City Bakery has opted out of utilizing automation. You won’t find any king cakes being moved along on conveyor belts here; rather, every piece of dough is carefully kneaded, cut, braided, and molded by hand, using the same techniques and recipe as the Randazzo Bakery did back in 1965.
Both Tricia and Lou remain the bakery's proprietors, alongside their son Zach, who has become the Director of Operations. Zach and his wife, Monica, who is also in the business, have a son named Luke, who the family considers their "Chief Tasting Officer".
Baking is in my DNA. I remember when I was little and could barely reach the height of the tables in the production area of the old Randazzo’s Hi-Lan Bakery. Watching my grandfather show me how to make a rose out of icing… I’ll never forget those memories.Zach
Baking is in my DNA. I remember when I was little and could barely reach the height of the tables in the production area of the old Randazzo’s Hi-Lan Bakery. Watching my grandfather show me how to make a rose out of icing… I’ll never forget those memories.
Loyal customers have been devouring these same king cakes for decades, simply refusing to purchase another brand. The family legacy continues to thrive, and the scene at the bakery leading up to Mardi Gras day — when police officers have to direct traffic outside — is truly a sight to see.
Luckily, you don’t need to be a local to enjoy this delicacy; the family ships countless, freshly baked king cakes across the country.
Order your Randazzo’s Camellia City Bakery king cake today!