Hakki Akdeniz

Hakki Akdeniz (born February 1, 1984) is an American restaurateur. He is owner and founder of the Champion Pizza pizzeria chain in New York City.

Biography

Akdeniz was born in 1984 in Turkey to a large Kurdish family with sixteen other children. In 2009 he started his first pizza shop in lower Manhattan. He became the cover story of an issue of PMQ, a pizza magazine, which he distributed locally to promote his shop. He remained involved with homeless charities and activities, donating pizza and other services to shelters and other groups.

Champion Pizza Akdeniz opened his first pizzeria on Essex Street in Lower Manhattan at the end of 2009. As of 2024, locations are concentrated in New York City but include stores in Texas and Florida.

The pizza uses a thin crust and a variety of toppings, and is sold both through the pizzerias and frozen at retailers.