Montessori-trained culinary innovator Felicity Curin.
Founder Felicity Curin Founder, President & COO
LKA was conceived by Felicity combining her two passions for teaching kids, and exploratory cooking. In her role, Felicity oversees all operational aspects of the business, including HR, training, unit-level operations, franchise partner support, program development, and is the inspiration that drives the brand.
Independence is the one ingredient that is always in my kitchen.
Our inspired innovator.
For Felicity, food is more than just something we eat; it’s community, exploration, innovation, love, learning, fun, fuel for our bodies, and (hopefully) delicious.
Felicity spent the first part of her career working with food, starting at Earl’s Restaurants, where she was tasked with opening and operating the first-ever US location, which became the #1 unit in the chain in its first year. After successfully opening a second location, Felicity moved to the Caribbean to lead operations for the first international Cold Stone Creamery location, which she grew into the first $1M franchise in the system. After moving back to Vancouver in 2006, inspired by her three young daughters, Felicity’s interest shifted to education, particularly the Montessori pedagogy, eventually receiving her (AMI) Association Montessori Internationale teaching degree and substituting throughout the lower mainland.
Felicity’s vision for Little Kitchen Academy grew from her two passions: education and food. Since opening the very first Little Kitchen Academy in Vancouver in June 2019, Felicity has overseen all operational aspects of the business, including HR, training, franchise partner support, and program development, all with the goal of ensuring every student leaves each class filled with pride and joy, knowing that they are capable of doing hard things.
Felicity is grateful to have been recognized as an Emerging Leader in Franchising by Global Franchise and as one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 100 Women of Impact, but what has been most meaningful in her journey with LKA is seeing how what was once just a dream is now transforming lives. When she envisioned what Little Kitchen Academy would accomplish, she knew that it would transform the lives of her students, but she never anticipated how it would transform the lives of so many others; those of the partners opening their own locations globally, the instructors who directly experience the magic of LKA with students every day, the team members and investors who have chosen to join the company in changing lives from scratch, and Felicity herself, who is on a mission with the entire LKA Family to make the world a healthier and happier place.
Building your own business brings out all the feelings! I feel passionate, grateful, inspired, challenged, scared and vulnerable. Every day there is new growth and new opportunities. I originally thought that my joy would come from seeing our students grow their skills and confidence with simple tasks such as cracking eggs or grating cheese. What has happened is that I also feel joy watching my family become an essential part in our growth. I see our incredible instructors so happy in their work. I support Franchise Partners build their own business. And every day I get to work with the best people on Earth.
Felicity Curin, Founder, President, and COO
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