Enrollment Is Now Open for the First-Of-Its-Kind Montessori-Inspired Cooking Academy’s First Location in the Greater Chicago Area
June 22, 2023 Little Kitchen Academy (LKA) the first-of-its-kind Montessori-inspired cooking academy for kids ages 3 through 18, will welcome the first students into their kitchen in the State of Illinois with the opening of LKA Plainfield on July 17th. LKA Plainfield will be the first of 24 locations being opened by Randall Barba, Chris Cukrowski, and Phable Meyerhoff in the Greater Chicago Area. Enrollment is now open for Summer Sessions for LKA Plainfield, located at 12315 Rhea Drive, Plainfield, Illinois.
“We are thrilled to bring Little Kitchen Academy to Plainfield,” said Randall Barba, Multi-Unit Franchise Partner for LKA in the Greater Chicago Area. “Little Kitchen Academy is about so much more than just teaching children to cook. It means so much to us to be part of a concept that also gives children the tools and environment they need to build confidence, develop their own minds, and learn important life skills and food literacy.”
Barba, the former CEO and President of Antique Reflections, a design, manufacturing, and import company, owns and operates six Goldfish Swim Schools in Illinois, New Jersey, and New York, employing more than 100 people. He will be opening LKA Plainfield and all 24 locations in the Greater Chicago area together with his partners Chris Cukrowski and Phable Meyerhoff.
The purpose-driven concept was founded by Montessori-trained culinary innovator Felicity Curin, her husband, proven global branding, franchise expert and serial entrepreneur, Brian Curin, and social impact investor and entrepreneur, Praveen Varshney, to empower children to make independent choices, enabling them to change their lives and those around them.
“We are excited for Randall, Chris, Phable, and their team to share LKA with the children, families, and schools throughout Plainfield and the Greater Chicago Area” said Brian Curin, CEO and Co-Founder of Little Kitchen Academy.
LKA’s Montessori-inspired environment is designed to support the growth and development of each child. Instructors show the students how to safely use tools and prepare recipes but step back to closely observe the independent work, only stepping in when deemed appropriate. This approach enables students to learn at their own pace while they acquire practical life skills that foster independence, confidence, and socialization. LKA further empowers students to make better food choices, apply age-appropriate math and science skills in real-world settings, and embrace practices such as recycling and composting. The curriculum also introduces the concept of philanthropy to help children make socially conscious contributions to the world through its global philanthropic initiative, “How Can I Help,” a program that empowers students to learn about giving back and making a difference by putting the choice in their hands to support one of three notable causes.
About Little Kitchen Academy
To families seeking educationally enriching activities for their children ages 3-18, Little Kitchen Academy is the first-of-its-kind Montessori-inspired cooking academy providing a safe and empowering environment to learn practical life skills, confidence, independence, and healthy eating habits to last a lifetime. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the concept was co-founded by proven global branding, franchise expert and serial entrepreneur, Brian Curin, his wife, Montessori-trained, culinary expert and visionary, Felicity Curin, and social impact investor and entrepreneur Praveen Varshney, with the vision of becoming the global leader in teaching practical life skills and food literacy to children in order to promote a more educated, independent and healthier society. True to its mission, LKA is empowering children to make independent choices, enabling them to change their lives, and those around them. Part of that mission includes empowering students to learn how they can make the world a better place through How Can I Help by Little Kitchen Academy, LKA’s signature philanthropic program, supporting Crisis Text Line, The Global FoodBanking Network, Kids Help Phone, and One Tree Planted. In addition to charitable partnerships, LKA has forged strategic global brand partnerships with AeroGarden, BIRKENSTOCK, ChefWorks, ChopValue, Emeco, Iron Chef Cat Cora,PRISE Inc., and Welcome Industries. Little Kitchen Academy’s flagship venues are in Vancouver, B.C., and Los Angeles, California.
For a taste of Little Kitchen Academy, visit littlekitchenacademy.com or join its communities on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.