Accomplished private equity-backed franchise executive Justin Nihiser joins the Little Kitchen Academy Advisory Board
Former Code Ninjas CEO and School of Rock Executive Justin Nihiser joins existing Little Kitchen Advisory Board Members including Iron Chef Cat Cora, Supermensch Shep Gordon, NBA Icon Russell Westbrook and others to support Little Kitchen Academy in changing lives from scratch
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 13, 2024 –Little Kitchen Academy (LKA), the leading Montessori-inspired cooking school, is thrilled to announce that current Garnett Station Partners Operating Partner and former Code Ninjas CEO and School of Rock Executive Justin Nihiser is joining Little Kitchen Academy as an advisory board member. This partnership marks a significant milestone for Little Kitchen Academy and supports the company’s efforts to bring the world of children’s culinary education, food literacy and practical life skills to more children and teens across the globe.
Nihiser comes to Little Kitchen Academy with over 16 years of experience in youth enrichment, franchising and Mergers and Acquisitions in both domestic and international markets. In early 2024, Nihiser joined Garnett Station Partners to focus on growing franchise concepts with passionate founders and customers in the child enrichment space. Nihiser has held a variety of roles as an executive in youth and child enrichment, including CEO of Code Ninjas, COO of Brain Balance Achievement Centers and Vice President of International Operations and Development at School of Rock. His international expertise encompasses a diverse range of markets, including but not limited to the U.S., Australia, Brazil, and South Africa. Nihiser is also an entrepreneur and investor himself, founding a cutting-edge music licensing e-commerce platform. Nihiser is based in Houston where he resides with his wife and two children.
“With his significant experience in growing School of Rock, Brain Balance Achievement Centers and Code Ninjas, Justin will be invaluable in helping us focus on operational excellence and sustainable growth. Justin’s insights from his exposure to the youth enrichment industry will be instrumental in guiding us to build huge value in our brand and company for all stakeholders as we expand globally,” said Brian Curin, CEO & Co-Founder of Little Kitchen Academy. “This will be a critical partnership for us as we continue changing lives from scratch by providing access to practical life skills and food literacy to create a more educated, independent, and healthier society,” adds Curin.
“I have a passion for businesses that serve children, and I was immediately interested in working with Little Kitchen Academy because I see the similarities to both Code Ninjas and School of Rock. Brian brings a depth of experience to the brand and Felicity is truly a cultural founder who fundamentally understands that you must have something special at the heart of a business concept. LKA is well positioned with both solid investors and key strategic partnerships. In my work over the past 16 years, I’ve gained an appreciation for what it takes to operate businesses at the field level, and I’ve also worked to help franchisees be successful proving concepts that deliver results. Ultimately, my role is to help Little Kitchen Academy scale and thrive, so they are able to increase the value of the brand and bring the LKA experience to more children and teens,” notes Nihiser.
About Little Kitchen Academy
Little Kitchen Academy is the leading Montessori-inspired cooking academy for children and teens providing a safe and empowering environment to learn practical life skills, confidence, independence, and healthy eating habits to last a lifetime. The concept was created with the vision of becoming the global leader in teaching practical life skills and food literacy to children in order to promote a more educated, independent and healthier society. True to its mission, LKA is empowering children to make independent choices, enabling them to change their lives, and those around them. Part of that mission includes empowering students to learn how they can make the world a better place through How Can I Help by Little Kitchen Academy, LKA’s signature philanthropic program, supporting Crisis Text Line, Changing Lives From Scratch Fund, Kids Help Phone, and One Tree Planted. In addition to charitable partnerships, LKA has forged strategic global brand partnerships with BIRKENSTOCK, ChefWorks, ChopValue, Emeco, Iron Chef Cat Cora, Küssi, Lettuce Grow, PRISE Inc., Russell Westbrook and The Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation, and Welcome Industries. Little Kitchen Academy’s venues are in Los Angeles, Denver, Vancouver, B.C., Edmonton, Alberta, and Toronto.
For a taste of Little Kitchen Academy, visit littlekitchenacademy.com or join its communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.