Our story begins with my father, Ali, and me, Ogulcan. We have been catering at festivals for over ten years. My father's first hospitality venture was a small wheelie food truck named Halikarnas, located in the basement of an easy to miss car park in Carlton. His setup was simple yet inviting, a few tables with tablecloths, salt and pepper on every table, and the aroma of smoke.

At Halikarnas, the best sellers were always the sandwiches. The most popular was "balik ekmek", which featured whatever fish he picked at the market that day, changing with the market’s offerings. The fish was marinated and grilled over fire, then cushioned between a fresh loaf of bread "banh mi" with sumac onions, rocket, and served with pickled chillies. The other item was a recipe from his hometown in Sivas: well-seasoned meatballs, handmade every day.

Halikarnas quickly became a popular street food destination for the locals, within a year, what was once an empty car park became a space for people to learn about food and culture. Fast forward three years, dad opened Halikarnas Restaurant in Brunswick East, which has now become a local favourite specialising in meze, char-grilled meats and seafood.

Building on the success of Halikarnas, we launched Yakamoz, a venue that merges our passion for Mediterranean and Aegean cuisine. Our aim is to introduce people to Mediterranean food without limitations. Our cuisine transcends national boundaries, featuring ingredients common across the Mediterranean, with some dishes being our own unique creations.