Hakki Akdeniz is a model of what the American Dream should be. While he is often known by just one name, Hakki, and has become one of the most well-known philanthropists and restauranteurs in New York City, he started with almost nothing. Then, he built himself into the success that people see today. His path to get where he is today is nothing short of inspiring, making him a role model for people all over the world.
Hakki Akdeniz was born in Turkey in 1980. During his childhood, he could often be seen helping his family in a pide store in the local town. While he worked in this store, he learned how to make dough. Even though his family didn’t have much, Hakki Akdeniz would learn how to put this skill to use. Eventually, his family decided to leave Turkey. They moved to Canada in 1997. He lived there for four years. Then, Hakki Akdeniz moved to New York City in 2001. Upon his arrival in NYC, Hakki Akdeniz got a job at a local pizzeria in town. IN 2009, he left that store and founded his own pizza shop. It was called Hakki Pizza until it was eventually renamed Champion Pizza. It is located in Manhattan.
His pizza shop was an immediate success. Hakki Akdeniz made great use of the skills that he learned as a child in Turkey. His skills involved in making dough put his pizza restaurant on the map. In 2016, Hakki Akdeniz’s pizza shop got a tremendous amount of attention due to their free pizza giveaway. This was done to honor Carrie Fisher. Of course, this was not the only symbol of generosity to come out of this pizza shop. Hakki Akdeniz also received a tremendous amount of media attention by actively offering jobs in his pizza shop to immigrants.
That same year, Hakki Akdeniz also generated buzz by telling a pizza that had “Trump Pizza” written on it. People were surprised to hear that all of the revenue generated from the sale of this “Trump Pizza” was donated to a local homeless shelter. This is just another example of the generosity of Hakki Akdeniz. It was this philanthropy that helped generate significant buzz regarding Champion Pizza. His generosity has even been recognized by the New York State Assembly.
Now, Hakki Akdeniz has grown his pizza business into one of the largest in all of New York. In a city that is known for its pizza, this is impressive. Hakki Akdeniz has even announced that his pizza restaurant business intends to open new stores throughout the city. It will be exciting to see how his pizza business grows in the future. Without a doubt, Hakki Akdeniz has served as a role model for countless people, including immigrants. He is aware of the influence he wields and has graciously decided to use his position to affect positive change throughout the city. Champion Pizza has become one of the top pizza chains in New York City.