Behind the counter at Albanese Meats & Poultry, Jennifer Prezioso is hard at work, hair pulled into a ponytail, bandana tied tight to cover any flyaways, as she expertly breaks down a cow’s hind quarter. Just 25% of butchers in the United States are female, and she’s made a name for herself as one of them. 

Albanese is her mother’s maiden name, pointing to the family’s Sicilian heritage; they’re not Albanian as some mistakenly assume. Prezioso’s great-grandfather immigrated from a small town near Cefalù to NYC, opening the butcher shop exactly 101 years ago. From that point on, it became a family affair, with her great-grandmother’s superb knife skills eventually passing down to Prezioso.