Feature Friday - Little Kitchen Academy
Sheena and I had the pleasure of having Phable Meyerhoff, one of the owners of Little Kitchen Academy and a mom to two boys, on our podcast. Here is a little more about Little Kitchen Academy! A great activity to check out for kids aged 3 to teens!
About Little Kitchen Academy
Little Kitchen Academy (LKA) is the key ingredient for an independent child. The first-of-its-kind, Montessori-inspired cooking academy for students ages three through teen is 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 bring 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.
Locations Near Chicagoland Area
-Plainfield
-Lincoln Park* coming soon
-Naperville* coming soon
What a LKA Class Entails
Little Kitchen Academy provides local families with seasonal, year-round cooking class sessions organized by age group (ages 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, and 13+ years old). Students experience a three-hour class once a week during the school year or over five consecutive days during Summer, Winter, & Spring breaks. Students learn how to make healthy, delicious, and seasonal meals from scratch to consumption—all while experimenting with math and science concepts, working on their reading skills, and polishing up their table manners by sharing meals around the LKA community table (made with more than 33,000 recycled chopsticks). Sessions are limited to just 10 students and are overseen by three instructors. The curriculum focuses on seasonal, locally grown, and organic produce and ingredients, and students enjoy the fruits of their labor for a "scratch to consumption" experience at the end of each lesson. All students are welcome in this fully inclusive program, including those with learning or other disabilities. The program, which is nut, meat, poultry, and seafood free, also can accommodate those with gluten, dairy, or other allergies.
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.
A Word from the Plainfield Owner
“We know that our families really value healthy living at all ages. We provide students with the opportunity to learn the critical life skill of preparing healthy meals for themselves and others,” said LKA Plainfield owner Rand Barba. “Our tag line is ‘changing lives from scratch,’ and that’s truly what we get to do at LKA. Students participate in every step of the process from selecting their tools, measuring their ingredients, tasting and making adjustments to recipes as needed. Our team meets each student where they are as an individual.”
Check Out Their Website for More Information about Classes