For Nathalie Domondon, opening Kukuruku Chicken in Slave Lake is more than a business investment. It is a dream that began years ago.

On Sept. 18, Domondon, her husband Wilson Damo and her nephew C.J. Domondon are celebrating the opening of their own restaurant after years of planning, financial challenges and determination.

The family had been looking for a business opportunity since before the COVID-19 pandemic. After exploring several franchises, Domondon discovered Kukuruku Chicken, a relatively new Canadian brand.

However, getting the franchise was not easy.

Domondon says she applied several times before finally receiving approval on her fourth attempt. The family began pursuing the opportunity in July 2025 and secured the restaurant location in January 2026.

Even then, they faced challenges with inspections and preparations before opening their doors.
For Domondon, the determination to succeed comes from her childhood.

Growing up in La Union, Philippines, she remembers harvesting crops and selling fish and vegetables to earn money for school.
Damo, who grew up in Ilocos, had similar experiences harvesting sugarcane and making basi, a traditional sugarcane wine.

Those experiences shaped their desire to eventually own a business.
After years of working at Scotiabank, Domondon wanted to try something different. However, she knew she could not afford to open a restaurant on her own.

That was when she invited her nephew, C.J., to invest alongside her and Damo.
C.J. had one condition: he wanted to taste the chicken first.

He travelled from Winnipeg to Edmonton to try Kukuruku Chicken before agreeing to join the family business.
With the three of them working together, their dream gradually became a reality.

Kukuruku Chicken CEO Danilo Pumarega says the Slave Lake location is the company’s sixth restaurant in Alberta and 10th in North America.

The company opened its first restaurant in Lakeland, Tennessee, in 2023 and has since expanded into Canada.
Pumarega says Slave Lake was not initially a location the company expected to consider because of its distance from Calgary, where its Canadian headquarters is located.

However, Domondon and Damo’s determination, along with their longstanding connections to the community, helped convince the company.

“They’ve been here since 2006, so why not?” says Pumarega.

He says their familiarity with Slave Lake and surrounding communities was an important factor in approving the franchise.
Pumarega acknowledges that opening a restaurant requires a significant financial investment, time and effort.

“We would like to make sure that they succeed in this venture,” he says.

For Domondon, opening Kukuruku Chicken is also an opportunity to give back to the community where her family has built its life.
She hopes to become involved with local schools, sports programs and community events.

Her children participate in swimming and skating, and she wants the restaurant to support activities that bring local families together.

“Community involvement is number one for me. I want to give back,” says Domondon.

Among her ideas are supporting school breakfast programs, providing lunches to students and donating meals to health-care workers.
She also hopes to build relationships with surrounding First Nations communities and eventually introduce a food truck that could travel to nearby towns and local events.

These initiatives are still in the planning stages as the family settles into operating the restaurant.
Despite the challenges of establishing the business, Domondon says she is grateful for the support her family has received.

For someone who grew up working to help pay for school, opening a restaurant with her husband and nephew marks a new chapter in a lifelong ambition.

And now, she hopes that success will allow her family to give something back to the community they call home.

Julia Magsombol
Lakeside Leader