With over 20 years of experience in the F&B industry, she brings a hands-on, heartfelt approach to hospitality, focused on care and connection
Deborah Ku still remembers the night her parents’ buffet restaurant served just two customers. They had prepared a full spread, but it went untouched. At the end of the evening, trays of food had to be thrown away. “I remember just standing there, hoping my parents wouldn’t go bankrupt,” she recalls.
It was one of her earliest lessons in the realities of running a food business in Singapore – the long hours, the uncertainties and the quiet resilience it takes to keep going. Today, as the second local Owner-Operator of a franchised Chick-fil-A® Restaurant business in Singapore, she brings more than 20 years of experience and a deep understanding of what it takes not just to build a restaurant but to sustain one.
Where it all began
Working alongside her parents over the years, Deborah learned firsthand that running a restaurant isn’t just about operations. It is about demonstrating care, building genuine relationships and earning trust over time.
Her father believed deeply in building a culture of hospitality and excellence. While searching for other like-minded F&B establishments, he discovered the Chick-fil-A brand and was drawn to its strong principles and distinctive local Owner-Operator model. He encouraged his family to write to Chick-fil-A about bringing the brand to Singapore, but this was long before any plans for expansion to Asia and even longer before he tasted the brand’s food.
Faced with declining sales during the COVID-19 pandemic, Deborah spent long hours working on the family business, thinking of ways to keep the restaurant afloat. On her food delivery routes to customers, she found herself listening to leadership interviews, many featuring Chick-fil-A leaders. What they said stayed with her, especially their philosophy that work could be “soul breathing” – deeply fulfilling, people-focused and something you would not want to walk away from.
In that season of uncertainty, her father’s dream became her own.
Cared for people, care for people
What began with her father now continues with her own family, as her husband Leonard will be involved in the operations of the Restaurant. Together, they hope to bring to life a clear principle: Cared for people, care for people.
For her, that begins long before the first Guest walks through the door. Deborah is building a team of 60 to 80 people, with a strong emphasis on building an environment where Team Members feel supported, valued and able to grow. This includes offering competitive wages, clear pathways for development and cross-functional training to help her team build confidence to take on greater responsibilities over time. She is also deeply passionate about helping Team Members discover their ikigai – the Japanese concept that represents the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs and what you can be paid for, which she believes can have a lasting impact well beyond the job itself.
With many in Singapore navigating demanding, time-pressed schedules, Deborah believes in taking a personal approach to hospitality. Being attentive, empathetic and responsive to what each Guest needs can make even a brief interaction feel positive, thoughtful and meaningful. She hopes the Restaurant will be a welcoming, safe space for Guests looking to refuel in the middle of a stressful day.
Giving back to the local community is also an extension of that care. Chick-fil-A Millenia Walk will participate in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table® program, redirecting surplus food to local non-profit partner The Food Bank Singapore. As Deborah sees it, giving is a discipline that doesn’t have to start big – it simply has to start. More information about these community outreach efforts will be announced at a later date.
Coming full circle
A three-day pop-up in Singapore in June 2024 served as a milestone for Deborah and her family, offering them their first long-awaited taste of Chick-fil-A after years of championing the brand’s arrival. From their first bite of the Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich, what had once felt distant and improbable finally became real.
For Deborah, it marked the beginning of a new chapter. She went on to participate in the rigorous Chick-fil-A Owner-Operator franchisee selection process – a nearly two-year journey that she undertook while running a full-time business, raising her two sons and expecting her third.
In many ways, it has come full circle. From watching her parents navigate the realities of running a restaurant, to carrying those lessons forward and building one of her own, Deborah is focused on creating a space that makes a positive impact on people and the local community in Singapore. Her family continues to run their restaurant today, while Deborah carries same values of care to Chick-fil-A Millenia Walk. At its heart is the simple belief – the more you care, the more you grow. The more you grow, the more you can care.
Chick-fil-A Millenia Walk will open on July 30, 2026. More information can be found at
www.chick-fil-a.com.sg.
To discover opportunities as a local Owner-Operator, visit: https://urlyte.com/cfa/franchise.
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About Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Chick-fil-A, Inc. is the third largest quick-service restaurant company in the United States, known for its freshly prepared food, signature hospitality and unique franchise model. The family-owned and privately held company was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. More than 200,000 Team Members are employed by local Owner-Operators in more than 3,000 restaurants across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and Singapore.
As part of the brand’s commitment to international expansion, Chick-fil-A is investing more than $75 million in Asia over the next 10 years, beginning with restaurants opening in Singapore in 2025.
Chick-fil-A local Owner-Operators live and work in the communities their restaurants serve, each supporting local efforts to address hunger, education, and making a positive impact. The family-owned and privately held company was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at www.chick-fil-a.com.sg and Chick-fil-A Press Room.
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