The First-Of-Its-Kind Montessori-Inspired Cooking Academy and the Best-In-Class Real Estate Partner to Bring Practical Life Skills and Food Literacy to More Children Across the U.S.
Los Angeles, CA – May 25, 2023 (LKA), the first-of-its-kind Montessori-inspired cooking academy for kids ages 3 through 18, is delighted to welcome Emerging Concepts as their new Real Estate Partner in the United States to support the company’s ambitious growth plans with 126 US locations already in development through 6 current Franchise Partners and plans to accelerate the growth through additional company-owned locations in strategic markets. Emerging Brands works with leading restaurant and entertainment concepts to find the right location for their business. Having built a fulsome team of data scientists, data engineers, analysts, real estate experts, creatives, and business professionals, Emerging Concepts will support LKA in finding the best locations in key markets to teach more children practical life skills and food literacy in order to promote a more educated, independent, and healthier society.
“We are thrilled to join Little Kitchen Academy in changing lives from scratch,” said Robert Johnson, Vice President of Emerging Concepts. “Our team felt very inspired when we learned about Little Kitchen Academy’s desire to create more educated, mindful, and healthy communities globally. We are excited to use our expertise and experience to help the brand grow in the United States so we can share this incredible concept with more families in our communities across the country.”
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.
“Our partnership with Emerging Concepts is significant for so many reasons,” said Brian Curin, CEO/CMO and Co-Founder of Little Kitchen Academy. “Not only will it help us find the best locations for every Little Kitchen Academy in the U.S. market by taking advantage of Emerging Concepts’ data-driven approach to real estate, but it will also support our Franchise Partners in finding the right location, negotiating their lease, and getting their doors open faster so that more children can experience the gift of LKA!”
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.