Parents lined up outside of Little Kitchen Academy excited to see what their kids have created.
First of its kind Montessori-inspired cooking school for kids ages 3 through 19
The newly signed agreements anticipate the opening of 29 franchises throughout British Columbia and the opening of 33 franchises in Washington and Oregon
— Brian Curin, CEO of Little Kitchen Academy
“It has been humbling and rewarding to have like-minded entrepreneurs who want to join Little Kitchen Academy in changing lives from scratch by signing on to grow our brand and deliver the experience in Canada and the United States. Our newest development deal for expansion in British Canada is from an existing multi-unit franchisee, Redemption Management, who created the opportunity to own more of the growth in BC as they got to know us better and see the impact we make in our kitchens and students’ lives,” said Brian Curin, CEO of Little Kitchen Academy.
“We announced in February 2020 that we would establish two Little Kitchen Academy locations in British Columbia. But as we dug in, we realized we just how relevant and needed LKA is for our youth today, so we signed for 29 more locations in our territory,” said Nicholas Popoff, president of Redemption Management. Nicholas, and his wife Angela, founded and run a family of popular restaurants and hospitality offerings: ONYX | steak seafood bar, Pearl Bistro & Oyster Bar, Jaded Wines and Aquamarine Catering. “We are delighted to be partnering with such an amazing concept and group of like-minded people that are truly changing lives from scratch every single day,” added Popoff.
Curin continued, “The expansion into the U.S. with a 33-location area representative agreement with Silver Linings is especially meaningful from a charitable point of view. Michael Silver is CEO and founder of Audio High, one of the most successful audio / home theater / home automation stores in North America for commercial and residential clients, but he is also the founder of Silver Linings, a 501 (c) (3) foundation and all profits from transactions from selling Little Kitchen Academy franchises in Washington and Oregon will be donated to his charity to enable children who otherwise would not be able to participate in Little Kitchen Academy programs to enroll at no cost, which supports our company’s mission-driven, Montessori-inspired philosophy to create social change by teaching practical life skills in a safe and empowering environment around the concept of healthy eating from scratch to consumption.”
“It was easy to see how getting in early with Little Kitchen Academy to help the company find franchisees to bring 33 locations to Washington and Oregon could only help our local communities flourish. LKA’s mission was a nice fit with our mission at Silver Linings, where we fund programs that improve the lives of children facing illness. Besides teaching food exploration and meal creation, it was wonderful to see development of decision-making skills and the resulting self-esteem, independence, and pride students gain from their efforts. We see this as such a wonderful business and opportunity to bring to children in the Pacific Northwest and through the Silver Linings Foundation,” said Michael Silver, CEO of Audio High and founder of Silver Linings.
Little Kitchen Academy sessions run year-round and focus on seasonal, locally grown ingredients, with classes running three hours each and are taught by age group by three instructors, who can host up to 10 students per class. The learning begins as soon as students enter the “for student chefs only” environment, where they learn and practice proper handwashing. Each student dons a chef coat and a fitted pair of BIRKENSTOCK kitchen shoes (one of several global brand partners) to begin his or her personalized cooking journey, which includes experimenting with math and science concepts; testing one’s reading skills; understanding proper surface sanitization; learning social etiquette and table manners while enjoying a meal together; and learning where their food comes from, in a safe and empowering environment that promotes independence.
For a virtual taste of our environment, visit Welcome To Our Kitchen
LKA is seeking multi-unit franchisees and development partners in British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta in Canada, and Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Texas, Washington, and Oregon in the U.S.
Potential franchisees who share the company’s purpose, vision and values can learn more at littlekitchenacdemy.com
About Little Kitchen Academy
Little Kitchen Academy (LKA) is the first-of-its-kind, Montessori-inspired cooking academy for kids ages three through teen, focused on providing a safe, inspiring, and empowering space for children to identify, develop and refine their senses. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the concept was co-founded by proven global brand 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, on the belief that by empowering children with practical life skills and knowledge in a positive and joyful environment, they and their company will affect positive lifestyle changes that result in a healthier world. True to its mission, LKA lives to create a more educated, able, and healthy society through mindful, healthy eating choices, and is committed to changing lives, from scratch to consumption. LKA has forged strategic global partnerships with Iron Chef Cat Cora, AeroGarden, BIRKENSTOCK, Chef Works, Emeco, ChopValue, Welcome Industries, and Location3. Little Kitchen Academy’s flagship venue is located at 3744 West 10th Avenue in Vancouver, BC. For a taste of Little Kitchen Academy, visit https://littlekitchenacademy.com/ or join its communities on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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Judy Johnson
The Brand Partnership
+1 213-200-5577
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