THREE GENERATIONS
Culinary Mastery Passed Down Through Generations
The Birth of a Mentor Chef – 7 Mehmet’s Early Step
Dede Mehmet Akdağ was born in 1916 in Antalya to İsmail Hakkı and Fatma Akdağ. After his father’s passing, his mother entrusted him at the age of eight to Hacı Hasan Usta, the chief chef of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, saying, “The meat is yours, the bone is mine.”
Under his master, Mehmet Akdağ learned the intricacies of local flavors and the craft of the kitchen, developing discipline and precision. One day, following a customer complaint, his master had the staff cut their hair, revealing a scar on Mehmet’s forehead that, in old Turkish, represented the number “7.” From that day, his master began calling him “7 Mehmet.”
Together with his mentor, on February 18, 1935, Mehmet prepared a fresh bean dish for Atatürk’s visit to Antalya. The dish, made from beans gathered out of season, was praised by Atatürk and marked a defining moment in Mehmet Akdağ’s career.
In 1937, he opened his first restaurant at the Balıkçı Hali (Fish Market), receiving his initial kitchen tools and coal-fired stove from his master. His buttery soups immediately attracted the local tradesmen. Over time, the menu expanded to include classics such as kuru fasulye, rice pilaf, pumpkin dessert, and baked fish.
By 1957, the restaurant moved to Yayla Palas, proudly displaying the “7 Mehmet” name and solidifying its brand. In 1967, hosting Turkey’s first organized tourist group and being featured in photographs taken by English visitors, 7 Mehmet gained international recognition, cementing its iconic status.
The Journey of a Legacy – From Masterful Hands to Today
Hakkı Akdağ, the eldest son of founder Mehmet Akdağ, spent his childhood in the kitchen alongside his father, mastering every nuance of the culinary craft. During his father’s illness, he gained invaluable experience working with chefs who came from Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, and Bolu.
In 1980, the restaurant relocated to Konyaaltı Beach. A fire in 1985 caused significant damage, but with the support of friends from Antalya, it reopened. Hakkı Akdağ further developed the family legacy, gaining renown for his meticulous ingredient selection, his exploration of new flavors, and his preservation of traditional techniques.
Mehmet Akdağ, his son, grew up in the kitchen from the age of two, laying the foundations for 7 Mehmet’s third generation. Hakkı Akdağ introduced Antalya to products previously unfamiliar to the region, such as avocados, enriching traditional dishes with modern touches. After 2003, his highly productive period in the kitchen saw the creation of numerous signature dishes.
Hakkı Akdağ shared a close bond with his son Mehmet, at times a mentor-apprentice relationship, at times a gentle rivalry; he would reward his son with rabbit dishes for achievements he jokingly said he never got from his own “strict teacher” father. Hakkı loved maintaining friendships with his guests, photographing the children of regulars for future exhibitions, and finding comfort in reading his cherished memory book when feeling down. Despite being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005, he continued his work with passion throughout an eight-year treatment, even guiding his staff with gestures when he could neither walk nor speak. Hakkı Akdağ passed away on October 22, 2013, having elevated the reputation of 7 Mehmet’s kitchen and, like his father, trained many culinary masters, including his son Mehmet. Today, 7 Mehmet continues to honor its roots, carrying forward a legacy of taste nurtured over three generations.
Approaching flavor from every angle
Having begun his culinary education at the age of two under the guidance of his mentor and his father, Hakkı Akdağ, Mehmet Akdağ discovered the starting point for his signature dishes through a passion for creating flavors using seasonal, top-quality ingredients. He preserves the unique taste of each ingredient, forms a personal connection with it, and builds new recipes around it. Avoiding frozen and canned products, he embraces a sustainable approach, enriching his plates with premium spices, nuts, and fruits. By applying meat, poultry, and fish cooking techniques to vegetables—and vice versa—he offers gastronomes truly unique dining experiences. Guided by the principle, “As long as these lands produce and these seas provide, we will continue creating new dishes,” Mehmet Akdağ has shared 7 Mehmet Restaurant’s closely guarded recipes and the full instructions for many of its classic dishes with the world through his cookbook.
He also built two fully equipped kitchens exclusively for the use of Akdeniz University’s gastronomy community. Always eager to step into the kitchen with aspiring chefs and share his knowledge, Akdağ continues his efforts to establish the 7 Mehmet Faculty of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at Akdeniz University, believing that gastronomy deserves its rightful place in education.