Settepani

In Italian, the word Settepani translates directly to “seven breads,” making it no surprise that Settepani Bakery founder, Chef Nino Settepani, discovered his passion for baking at a young age.

The Settepani brand was founded in 1992 by Chef Nino Settepani with the opening of Settepani Bakery, in the Italian-American neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn (where Chef Nino grew up after immigrating from Sicily as a young boy).

What was already a family business, with Chef Nino’s mother being a staple of the bakery’s front counter, grew even more when Chef Nino met his wife, Leah Abraham. After their first date turned into Leah working a night shift at the bakery, it was quickly apparent that Leah was a perfect match for Chef Nino (and the family business).

Leah, an Ethiopian-Eritrean immigrant, desired to expand the Settepani brand to more than just a bakery, opening Harlem staple Settepani Restaurant in 2000. While Settepani Restaurant offers contemporary Italian-Mediterranean cuisine, don’t be surprised if you see some Ethiopian influence throughout its menu.

Now, their children, Bilena and Seyoum, have joined the family business. Chef Bilena, a recent graduate of I.C.E. culinary school, has added a contemporary element to the Settepani brand, including the creation of its famed Nutella panettone. Seyoum, a recent graduate and football captain at the University of Richmond, will soon join Bilena in helping grow the brand even further.

The Settepani brand is ever evolving, with a family business that dates back to before Chef Nino’s family moved from Sicily (check out Chef Nino’s cousins’ bakery in Palermo). While its methods are rooted in tradition, its ideas are kept modern by its generational passion, and kept cultured by its emphasis on flavors from around the world.