Biagio Fortunato, co-owner of Fortunato Brothers Bakery in Brooklyn, grew up just a few blocks from the shop his father and uncles opened in 1976 after immigrating from Naples, Italy. He now helps run the family business, which produces about 300,000 cannoli and close to 1 million cookies each year, using the same methods the family established decades ago.
That consistency shows up in the smallest details. One of his uncles has been tying cannoli shells the same way for 50 years. For Fortunato, maintaining that consistency is part of the job. "There's no reason to change it if it works," he said. Even so, inheriting the business hasn't made the job easier.
