Upshur’s Extensive Global Experience in the Child Enrichment Space Will Support the First-Of-Its-Kind Montessori-Inspired Cooking Academy in Educating More Children Globally
Vancouver, BC – April 26, 2023 Little Kitchen Academy (LKA), the first-of-its-kind Montessori-inspired cooking academy for kids ages 3 through 18, is delighted to welcome Erica Upshur to the Little Kitchen Academy family as their new Vice President of Marketing & Communications. Upshur joins Little Kitchen Academy after spending the past six years at Mathnasium, where she oversaw local marketing for over 1,000 learning centers, North American national consumer marketing, international consumer marketing and global PR. Upshur will play a vital role in the brand continuing to grow its presence globally so more children can learn practical life skills and healthy eating habits at Little Kitchen Academy.
“I am thrilled to join the Little Kitchen Academy team and be able to use my experience in the field to support the company in changing lives from scratch,” said Erica Upshur, Vice President of Marketing & Communications for Little Kitchen Academy. “I remember thinking what a wonderful concept it was when I learned about the opening of their Westfield Century City location in Los Angeles. So when the opportunity came to join the team and help share the company’s inspiring purpose with the world, I knew I wanted to join in changing lives from scratch.”
In addition to her years of experience with Mathnasium, Upshur has an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and a strong background in marketing and advertising, having worked with brands like Proactive, DIRECTV, Hotels.com and more.
“As soon as we met Erica, we knew she was the right person to help us become the global leader in teaching practical life skills and food literacy to children,” said Brian Curin, CEO/CMO and Co-Founder of Little Kitchen Academy. “We are excited to welcome Erica to the team and can’t wait to see more students, families, schools, and communities feel the impact of LKA thanks to the efforts of Erica and her team.”
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.
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.