Hakki Akdeniz

Hakki Akdeniz was born in Silvan, Turkey. At a young age, Akdeniz and his family worked in a pide store in town, where he learned how to make dough. In 1997, Akdeniz and his family moved to Canada and in 2001 Akdeniz moved to New York City where he worked at a pizzeria until 2005. In 2009 he founded and opened Hakki Pizza which was later renamed Champion Pizza in Manhattan.