The first-of-its-kind, Montessori-inspired cooking academy is poised to change lives from scratch, introducing the concept to the Lincoln Park neighborhood in Chicago
Little Kitchen Academy (LKA), the first-of-its-kind, Montessori-inspired cooking academy for kids ages 3 through 18 – is expanding its footprint in the U.S. as they announce their first location in the state of Washington in the iconic Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, which is expected to open registrations in February, 2023. LKA Lincoln Park will be opened by Randall Barba, Chris Cukrowski, and Phable Meyerhoff, as the first of 24 locations they will open across Greater Chicagoland. Barba, the former CEO and President of Antique Reflections, now owns and operates six Goldfish Swim Schools in Illinois, New Jersey, and New York, employing more than 200 people. LKA currently has 9 locations open throughout the US and Canada and 234 in development getting closer to 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.
“We are excited to start sharing the gift of Little Kitchen Academy with families in Chicago early next year,” said Barba. “Little Kitchen Academy is about so much more than just teaching children to cook, and we are thrilled to be a part of a concept that can help children build confidence, develop their own minds, and learn important life skills. The Montessori-inspired philosophy is inspirational to our team, and we can’t wait to open our first location in Chicago.”
The newest Little Kitchen Academy will be located at 1131 W. Armitage Avenue in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. The purpose-driven concept was founded by Montessori-trained culinary innovator Felicity Curin; her husband, proven global branding and 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 grateful to have such purpose-driven partners who care deeply about LKA’s values, and we are excited for them to bring the gift of Little Kitchen Academy to the Windy City,” said Brian Curin, CEO/CMO & Co-Founder. “Not only is Chicago an important place to me, having grown up in the area, but it is also an important market that continues our expansion throughout the Midwest. We know that this group’s experience combined with their dedication to providing the next generation with the tools necessary to succeed makes them the perfect team to open our first of many Chicago locations.”
LKA’s Montessori-inspired environment is organized to support the growth and development of each child. Instructors show the students how to safely use tools, 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, to apply age-appropriate math and science skills in real-world settings, and embrace practices such as recycling, composting, and the concept of philanthropy in order to make positive, socially conscious contributions to the world through its recently announced global philanthropic initiative, “How Can I Help,” which 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 and 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 located 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.