John Niakrok: this Inuit entrepreneur turned his love of food and family into a thriving business in the heart of Rankin Inlet

Originally from Arviat, Nunavut, John Niakrok has called Rankin Inlet home for 15 years. John is the owner and operator of Iglu Donairs, a full-service gastronomic venture operating from the Rankin Inlet Arena as of January 2022. With ample support from his family, Iglu Donairs has become “the hub of the Kivalliq”. When John is not working, he spends time with his common-law, Stephanie, and two beautiful children, Lyndon and Eleanor. 

Inspired as a child by his father’s cooking, John was in his twenties when he discovered he loved spending time in the kitchen. A hunter, camper, and lover of the outdoors, John especially enjoys preparing dishes with caribou and Arctic char he harvested himself. Catering to a variety of customers, John likes to feature a range of feature country food, comfort food, and international dishes. 

With a population of 3200 people, Rankin Inlet has a busy calendar of meetings and sports tournaments that draws people in from across the region and it also has a tourism economy that welcomes visitors from around the world. John is excited to continue expanding this entrepreneurial adventure and has goals to open a bed and breakfast with a  full restaurant, including an indoor playground. 

This video is from the Feeding Our Spirits series, which captures the stories of the entrepreneurs in our Local Food Cohort. Click here to see more videos.

Follow Iglu Donairs:
IG: @iglu_donairs | FB: @igludonairs
This video was made by Mark Aspland of Aksut Media