It Started with Dishwashing, It Ended with a Pastry Chain: The Silent Resistance of a Life

The life story of 53-year-old Mevlüt Aktürk, who now runs two pastry shops in Istanbul, is a powerful narrative of persistence, hunger, and hope—beginning with the memory of a meal he was once denied and leading to a life he never thought he could build. Every morning at dawn, the lights go on inside a small pastry shop in Sarıyer, where the scent of fresh dough and butter fills the air. Behind the counter stands Mevlüt Aktürk, a father of three and the owner of two bakeries. But his journey didn't start here—it began when he was just 11 years old and ran away from his village in Ardahan with his uncle.

His family was poor, one of many siblings in a home where resources were few and dreams even fewer. But it was a single memory that sparked the fire within him—a moment from his childhood he never forgot. One day, his aunt was making mantı, a traditional Turkish dumpling. Mevlüt and his cousin were outside playing when they were told dinner would be ready soon. Mevlüt was ecstatic; mantı was a rare luxury, something he had never tasted before.When the call to dinner came, Mevlüt ran inside, heart pounding. But at the door, his aunt stopped him: “You’re not eating. We only made enough for ourselves. Go tell your mother to cook for you.” She handed him a small bottle of oil and sent him away. Not fully understanding, Mevlüt ran happily to his mother. “Auntie said you should make mantı for me!” he said, handing her the oil.His mother broke down in tears and began to make the dish. Mevlüt didn’t understand why she cried—until he grew older and realized they didn’t even have oil, let alone meat for the filling. That day, he learned what poverty really meant.

At age 11, he ran away to Istanbul with his uncle, dreaming of a different life. He got lost at first and ended up in Sarıyer. With no place to stay, he began shining shoes on the streets. Soon after, he found work as a dishwasher at the famous Karaköy Sarıyer Börekçisi. He was so short that they had to place crates under his feet so he could reach the sink. For four months, he worked endlessly—shoe shining by day, dishwashing by night. Eventually, he became an apprentice, then a baker, then head chef over the span of 20 years. But even then, trouble found him. When the bakery went bankrupt, the owner took out a loan in Mevlüt’s name. After paying just a few installments, the owner disappeared. The debt remained on Mevlüt’s shoulders.

He didn’t give up. Though there were nights he cried from hunger, he worked multiple jobs to pay off the loan. His wife supported him, and together with his brothers, they began to rebuild. In 2004, he opened his first shop in Bahçeköy. Not long after, he opened a second branch in Sarıyer.Today, Mevlüt still wakes up at 4 a.m., working side by side with his family, preparing each pastry with his own hands. Every tray that comes out of his oven carries more than just food—it holds memories, resilience, and silent tears from years past. The boy who wasn’t allowed to eat mantı is now feeding thousands. His greatest pride? His children. “They’re going to university. I never thought I could dream that big,” he says. “But I never gave up. If you really want something, and you work for it, you can achieve it. Hardships didn’t break me. They made me stronger.”

His greatest pride? His children. “They’re going to university. I never thought I could dream that big,” he says. “But I never gave up. If you really want something, and you work for it, you can achieve it. Hardships didn’t break me. They made me stronger.”Mevlüt Aktürk’s journey is not just about building a business. It’s the story of a child who once went to bed hungry, but grew up to build a life full of purpose. This isn’t just a story about a man and his bakery—it’s a story for anyone who’s ever dared to dream.

It Started with Dishwashing, It Ended with a Pastry Chain: The Silent Resistance of a Life