First-of-its-Kind, Montessori-inspired Little Kitchen Academy Cooks Up An Enviable List of Strategic Partners

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, March 3, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Little Kitchen Academy (LKA), the first-of-its-kind, Montessori-inspired cooking academy for children ages three through teen, announced today it has curated a slate of global brand partners to ensure each franchisee will receive key products and support that help deliver the signature experience on a global scale. Strategic partners to date include: Iron Chef Cat Cora, BIRKENSTOCK, ChopValue, Emeco, ChefWorks, AeroGrow and Welcome Industries. Little Kitchen Academy’s flagship location opened in June 2019. Shortly thereafter, it announced its first single and then multi-franchise deals. The company has an aggressive global expansion plan underway on multiple continents.

“With more than 20 years’ experience with multiple franchise concepts in various industries as the vendor, franchisor, franchisee and master franchisee, I know the value of identifying and solidifying global partnerships to ensure a unique environment and experience will be replicated around the world,” said CEO and Co-founder Brian Curin. “I’m excited and honored to have attracted such amazing brand partners as we ramp up our footprint -- some new, some from my past experiences.” Curin is recognized as a global franchise authority, branding expert, and serial entrepreneur having grown and led several Inc. 500|5000 companies and built some of the most exciting brands globally including Flip Flop Shops, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Cold Stone Creamery.

Little Kitchen Academy has hand-selected the following global partners:

• Celebrity Iron Chef Cat Cora – Cora serves as the company’s brand ambassador, honorary head of recipe development, and advisory board member.
• BIRKENSTOCK – Exclusive provider of kitchen shoes worn by all staff and students.
• AeroGrow International, Inc.(a Scotts Miracle Grow company) – Exclusive provider of the live organic food wall and indoor gardening materials that provide students with fresh produce and herbs used in lesson recipes.
• ChopValue – Exclusive provider of the proprietary community table made with more than 33,000 recycled chopsticks.
• ChefWorks – Exclusive provider of the Little Kitchen Academy-branded chef coats.
• Emeco – Exclusive provider of chairs made from recycled plastic bottles that students dine on around the community table at the end of each lesson.
• Welcome Industries – Exclusive provider of educational cooking tools, including the measuring cups shaped like fractions that help students learn math.

“I’m all about family, food and love,” said Cat Cora, world-renowned chef, top-selling author, restauranteur, philanthropist and mother of six children. “So, when Little Kitchen Academy Founder Felicity Curin shared her vision and presented the opportunity for me to be part of this venture, it made perfect sense. The concept mirrors my vision for my own children’s future with food. I wanted to collaborate to make this our legacy together. It’s such a needed concept with a strong social mission. Our core values are so aligned, and I know our collective passion, experience and commitment will make this idea a global success. I’m thrilled to be a partner, a brand ambassador, and a huge fan.”

“I’ve known Brian for almost a decade and always enjoyed working with him. When he called and shared the concept he and Felicity created, for Little Kitchen Academy, my immediate response was – count us in.,” said David Kahan, who serves as CEO of BIRKENSTOCK Americas. “I can’t imagine any project that is more aligned with the values of our brand and our organization. This is an empowering business model for both the franchisees and the students. I could not be more proud to have BIRKENSTOCK partner in this adventure. Little Kitchen Academy is the lynchpin of our entire culinary professional business, and we especially love engaging with the next generation of healthy “chefs”.”

Little Kitchen Academy empowers children with practical life skills and teaches the power of making healthy food choices in an inclusive and modern kitchen environment, complete with 10 individual cooking stations (aka Little Kitchens), each with its own oven, cooktop, sink, prep table, Kitchen Aid mixer, and all the equipment and utensils needed to make “from scratch” creations. Sessions run year-round and focus on seasonal, locally grown and organic produce and ingredients. Classes run 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. Each student dons a chef coat and a fitted pair of BIRKENSTOCK kitchen shoes to begin his or her personalized cooking journey, which includes experimenting with math and science concepts; testing one’s reading skills; learning social etiquette and table manners while enjoying a meal together; learning sustainable decision making as students learn about local, in-season, and organic produce; and sharing the fruits of their labor by dining together at the end of every lesson at the community table. For older students, Little Kitchen Academy offers LKA Late Nights on weekend nights customized for teens.

To fulfill its global growth plans, the company seeks like-minded franchisees. Potential franchisees who share the company’s mission, vision and values can learn more at www.littlekitchenacademy.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 global franchise 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 partnerships with Iron Chef Cat Cora, AeroGrow, BIRKENSTOCK, ChefWorks, ChopValue, Emeco and Welcome Industries. For a taste, visit www.littlekitchenacademy.com

Judy Johnson
The Brand Partnership
+1 213-200-5577
email us here

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