The Little Kitchen Academy (LKA) is a Montessori cooking academy that will soon launch 75 locations across Texas. The first-of-its-kind culinary program aims to help children experience a safe, inspiring, and empowering way to learn how to cook and establish mindful eating habits.
Key markets for Little Kitchen Academy include Dallas, Ft. Worth, San Antonio, and Houston, with a flagship location opening in Austin later this year. Franchise expert Bill Duffy has partnered with Wonderful Chaos Kitchen LLC. to manage the Texas expansion. Duffy stated in a press release that he “was sold” on the curriculum during the first experience. “The environment was like nothing I had ever seen before, allowing children to experiment and learn in their own way, not by the standardized measures we so often see.”
Duffy and his team have more than 50 years of experience in franchising, both as franchisees and franchisors. Their expertise spans restaurants, retail, and multi-unit developments across the Lone Star state. Duffy expressed the excitement of bringing an idea to life that will improve the lives of the communities it serves.
Little Kitchen Academy’s goal is to educate youth by teaching them to make healthy food choices. They stand by their motto of “changing lives from scratch to consumption.”
This mission is to teach students how they can make the world a better place through philanthropic efforts. “How Can I Help” is LKA’s signature philanthropic program; LKA also supports other nonprofits, including the Crisis Text Line, The Global FoodBanking Network, Kids Help Phone, and One Tree Planted.
“Sharing the gift of LKA with Bill and his team to lead the development throughout the great state of Texas will give more children the environment they need to gain independence and valuable life skills,” said Brian Curin, co-CEO, and president of Little Kitchen Academy. The curriculum at the academy is appropriate for children aged three to adolescence.
The Little Kitchen Academy concept was co-founded in Vancouver, Canada, by Brian Curin, a global brand and franchise expert and serial entrepreneur, his wife, Montessori-trained culinary expert and visionary Felicity Curin, and social impact investor and entrepreneur Praveen Varshney. They believe that by empowering children with practical life skills and knowledge in a positive, joyful environment, they and their company will effect positive lifestyle change.
“Little Kitchen Academy is so much more than just a cooking school; it’s an opportunity to give the next generation the tools they need to succeed,” says Duffy. “A big factor that attracted us to this concept was their charitable work and social impact, which is something that we’re thrilled to bring to communities across Texas.”