Little Kitchen Academy offers its franchise and development partners the opportunity to truly make an impact, blending an innovative, purpose-driven concept that transcends cultures, languages and geography. With nine locations open in Canada, Los Angeles, and Portland, the Montessori-inspired cooking academy has recently inked development deals to open over 240 locations in Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Washington and Canada. To continue their impressive momentum and growth, Little Kitchen Academy is actively seeking multi-unit franchise or development partners in the Greater Phoenix Region, Tucson, Yuma, and Flagstaff.
“We are grateful to be changing lives from scratch through LKA and excited to share what we are doing in a market that we fondly once called our home,” said Brian Curin, Co-Founder/Co-CEO & President of Little Kitchen Academy. “This expansion will not only bring our brand to new markets, but will provide the opportunity for children to learn how to cook, and more importantly gain self-confidence, increase independence, and provide an outlet to create and build friendships.”
Little Kitchen Academy empowers children with practical life skill, independence, and the confidence to make positive life choices through cooking. Inspired by the Montessori pedagogy, Little Kitchen Academy provides children the tools and experiences that allow them to progress at their speed, and encourage their interests, while nurturing specific needs during critical time periods in child development. The learning begins as soon as students enter the “for student chefs only” environment. Each students’ cooking journey includes experimenting with math and science concepts; testing one’s reading skills; developing social etiquette, table manners and sustainable decision making by informing students of local, in-season, and organic produce, and sharing the fruits of their labor by dining together at the end of every lesson at the LKA Community Table made of more than 33,000 recycled chopsticks.
The concept was co-founded by serial entrepreneur Brian Curin; his wife, Montessori-trained culinary expert Felicity Curin; and social impact investor and entrepreneur Praveen Varshney. Curin has built some of the most exciting and fastest-growing brands globally including Flip Flop Shops, OfficeZilla.com, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Cold Stone Creamery. The brand has set itself apart by its high-profile partnerships, including BIRKENSTOCK, AeroGarden, and Chef Works, leaders in sustainability like Emeco and ChopValue, innovators like Welcome Industries and PRISE Inc., as well as Iron Chef Cat Cora, Official Brand Ambassador and Advisor.
