Little Kitchen Academy
3744 West 10th Ave V6R 2G4 Vancouver, BC, Canada

Some people are surprised that we don't have child sized stations or tools (except for our knives). As with all our decisions, this was intentional and deliberate. Everything the child learns in our kitchen needs to be able to be replicated in their own kitchen at home. When we were designing the space, we thought about having stations that raised or lowered so it fit the child's height but decided against it because that's not what they would have in their home. We chose to... use breakable glass measuring cups and plates because that's what they would use at home and we wanted them to learn that there are consequences in the kitchen for not being careful. We didn't want them to learn in an environment that was built for them, only to go home and be frustrated that they weren't able to do the same things in their own kitchen. Our students love the challenge and adapt to the environment and when they can go back home and feel confident to help in their own kitchen, they are empowered to help because they know they have the skills they need and know how to use the tools they have, filling them with joy and pride. #ChangingLivesFromScratch #Montessori #MontessoriQuotes

GIVEAWAY! We're giving away an LKA Late Nights December session at our Point Grey location for your favourite teen! LKA Late Nights give teens a place to have fun together while learning valuable life skills! Head over to Instagram to enter now: https://www.instagram.com/little_kitchen_academy/

Winter registration is now open!! Classes will fill up fast (especially the weekends) so go register now: https://www.amilia.com/store/en/LKA/api/Program/Detail

We teach all of our students, regardless of age or skill set, to honour and respect the knife. Learning how to safely use a knife is one of the greatest lessons in cooking and independence - not to mention a great skill to impress your friends! Knife safety takes a very long time to achieve, but it is so worth being patient. Sometimes (many times) our students feel they are ready before we know they are. A great challenge to a student who wants the next level is to make cutting with their current knife harder. We can show them new ways to cut or challenge them to cut specific sizes or cut everything the exact same size. A challenge within their level will create new interest and require concentration. #ChangingLivesFromScratch #CookingTips #CookingSafety #KidsCooking

Looking for the perfect Saturday breakfast recipe to make as a family? Have your kids help you make Little Kitchen Academy's Gingerbread Pancakes! These yummy breakfast treats are the perfect family project for a cold, dark morning! The smell of the cinnamon scented whipping cream floating through the air in your kitchen will get you all in the festive spirit to kick off this holiday season! #ChangingLivesFromScratch #Cinnamon #KidsCooking #Recipes

When planning our classes, it might surprise some to hear that we present the same recipe to our 3-5 year old class as we do in our teen classes. We simply add or remove elements of difficulty. This refinement in our work allows us to challenge and support any student with any skillset at any age. Last week when we roasted and stuffed sweet sugar pumpkins, our 3-5 year-olds had their pumpkin tops already cut out, and the insides were loosened, ready to be pulled out. Some of... their vegetables were portioned smaller to make their cuts a little easier. Our teens, however, had to do everything on their ownand were invited to separate, season and roast the seeds for added texture. No matter how much work our students take on, they are celebrated for doing their best. There are days when it can take 30 minutes to get our students from the front door to their stations! Sometimes we can spend 20 minutes simply folding towels! Some nights we can add a fun smoothie or work on our presentation and plating. It doesn’t matter if our students create a meal worthy of 5 stars or bravely manage to walk in the front door. We know that any effort made is progress and we celebrate each and every one. #changinglivesfromscratch #montessorieducation #montessori

Do you have a teen who loves food and wants to learn more about kitchen skills? LKA Late Nights are just for them. Late Nights are a fun place where teens can make new friends, take great photos for Instagram or Snapchat, and leave with new confidence and skills in the kitchen. There are only a few spots left in our Fall Late Nights sessions, so register now: https://littlekitchenacademy.com/locations/point-grey/

Watching our students at work is one of the most rewarding experiences for our instructors! Seeing the joy or interest in their eyes when we knock on the outside of a pumpkin to hear what it sounds like. Watching to see what they find challenging and being prepared to support them if they ask. Observing how they use their knife to provide adjustments where needed. Seeing who wants to spend more time on one task and encouraging them to make their own choices. But watching is ...a two-way street. Students watch their instructors to learn so they can tackle a new task on their own. They watch as the instructor shows them the tools they will use, the foods they will be using in the recipe, and important skills like how to hold a knife and make a claw with their other hand to protect their fingers. Every class is filled with students watching the instructor, and instructors watching the student and it's one of the reasons our kitchen is always filled with understanding and love. #ChangingLivesFromScratch #Montessori #MontessoriQuotes

We're so excited that Little Kitchen Academy is growing and with multiple new locations across North America opening in 2021, we need to make a small change on social media. That's why today, we’re launching our Little Kitchen Academy Vancouver Point Grey account for all your favourite content from our Point Grey Flagship location! It's a great way to keep track of registration dates and local contests but, even more importantly, it's going to be focusing on delighting all of our LKA Families with inspiring photos and videos of your children in the kitchen Go follow the Point Grey location now: https://www.facebook.com/Little-Kitchen-Academy-Vancouver-Point-Grey-108584294224706

The most recent announcement from Dr. Bonnie Henry has a lot of people wondering what this has done to our classes. At this point and time, it does not impact LKA. Since reopening in May, we have constantly added to and amended our protocols in order to keep our students, instructors and their families safe. Our COVID-19 plan is on our website for reference. https://littlekitchenacademy.com/about/faq/#!/question/1 We will continue to follow the BC Ministry of Health guideli...nes and update our families if changes need to be made. We would like to thank our families and students for showing us wonderful support and patience while we navigate these stressful times. We know it is not easy to wait in the cold (or rain) outside while we bring our students in slowly, or dismiss them at the end of class. We know it was so amazing to see your children sitting around our community table, excited to share a bite with you. Our students have shared with us that setting and sitting at our individual workstations where we can be physically distant is still lots of fun! Today we are thinking positive and looking forward to hearing that the efforts from all of us for the next two weeks has made a significant impact and we are on the way to flattening the curve once again #ChangingLivesFromScratch

We love seeing our students come back every season and growing, not just physically, but in their skills as well. And students like Charlotte are a real riot to have. She fills our kitchen with enthusiasm and teaches us all to let go and enjoy each moment with pure abandonment.

Sigh.... Mondays....am I right????

We’ve still got a few spots left for our fall sessions! Hurry and register before they completely sell out. https://littlekitchenacademy.com/locations/point-grey/

Thanks for the feature, VancouverMom.ca! COVID-19 has changed so much and its effects on the way we connect are profound. Any parent trying to keep their children socially engaged knows this. Find out why Desirea enrolled her daughter in classes at Little Kitchen Academy in the middle of a pandemic.

Seriously, we our parents and students.

We're keeping this year's Halloween recipe a surprise. Make sure you tune in to see what we're cooking. In the meantime, this is what we made last year! Give it a try at home.

Know somebody who wants to change lives from scratch and has the right ingredients? We'll be at the Online Franchise Expo from October 15-30 to connect with like-minded people looking for their next opportunity. Register for free to get insights into becoming part of our LKA franchise family: https://buff.ly/3i0Ybie Of course, if you simply can’t wait to be part of our journey, you can learn more here: https://littlekitchenacademy.com/about/franchise/

Every man has his own creative spirit that makes him a work of art. Maria Montessori. ALL of our students are perfect works of art. #montessori ... #changinglivesfromscratch See more

You know how every once in a while you do something and the little voice inside says, 'There. That’s it. That’s why you’re here.' and you get a warm glow in your heart because you know it’s true? Do more of that.... - Jacob Nordby Every. Single. Day. Thank you to all of our familiesyour children fill our buckets and beyond. #motivationalmonday

We are working with cinnamon every chance we get! It was in our scented cream that we drizzled throughout our stuffed pumpkins, we are working it into a hearty chilli, and of course, we use it in all of our baking! Has anyone else tried the local sugar pumpkins yet? They are delicious! We also jumped on the pumpkin spice fad with our Pumpkin Spice Scones, and are still in serious discussions about what we are going to do with our mysterious eggplants (yep, plural!! We now have 4!!!!!) #seasonalingredients

Happy Thanksgiving to all our families. We hope you had a wonderful, restful day, bellies full of good food, hearts full of loved ones. At Little Kitchen Academy, we are so grateful for every single one of you for everything you teach us every day. Thank you. #happythanksgiving #changinglivesfromscratch #thankful #grateful

Chef’s position was originally created to put a "barrier" in front of the instructors so we could take an extra moment and allow our students to work independently. Everyone’s first instinct is to want to help. It is essential to our work to step back, observe, and only step in when safety is a concern or genuine frustration shows. Clasping our hands behind our backs gave us an extra second or two to remember our role. This evolved into our student’s work. Chef’s position shows the instructors that students are ready to listen and observe. We ask for Chef’s position when presenting a new tool, preparing for knife work, working with the induction cooktop, and anytime we need to redirect the class. If your child is a student of ours, ask them to show you Chef’s position!

Our Aerogardens have exploded! We had to say goodbye to our colourful edible garnishes, but a big hello to our basil which we will be harvesting to enhance the local tomatoes. We’ve been carefully watching our green peppers turn bright red and have tried some already. The first taste was a little bitter and really crunchy, but we anticipate a different taste and texture now that they are red. A big thanks to our students who helped pollinate with our handy little Be the BEE wand!

We love hearing feedback! During class, we can see how much our students love their work and it is even better when their enthusiasm goes home with them. #changinglivesfromscratch

Children love to have the opportunity to contribute to a meal. When we see them bursting with pride because they made what we're eating, that's a special feeling. Now imagine that, around the Thanksgiving table, their chests puffed up, chins held high, eyes sparkling while a dimple forms in their cheek because as hard as they might try, they just can't contain their smile. "You...made this!" This fall, we're learning to make seasonal dishes that are perfect for Thanksgiving. There are still some spots available for our sessions. Register today. https://buff.ly/2SMFGVj

When we placed our first help wanted ad, I held my breath not knowing what kind of applicants we would get. Within 12 days, I received over 100 inquiries, hel...d about 40 interviews, and hired 14 incredible people. Experience teaching, cooking, or in health and wellness got my attention, interest in contributing to their environment got an interview, and showing and practicing kindness got the job. It was really that simple. Training was intense and extremely thorough. We spent the majority of our time discussing the different planes of development in children. We understand how incredible these young people are. We understand our job is to provide a safe inspiring environment for them and to step back and watch them grow. Our instructors are some of the best humans I've ever met. They LOVE what they do. They LOVE our students. They want to make a difference in our students’ lives. And they do. Every. Single. Class. #changinglivesfromscratch #montessoriquotes

Looking forward to LKA surrey opening!Little Kitchen Academy Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

(Children) should be free to make mistakes, not in an absolute sense, but only in their spontaneous efforts for perfection. Maria Montessori While this video is more about a giggle, it's a super representation of how our environment is always warm and supportive. It illustrates how comfortable our students are in working for themselves. It reminds us that perfection is in the eyes of the beholder. Many of our students express that they are making this food for their parent...s and every piece, every choice, every stir is an act of love. They are so proud to share their efforts. There is a reason for every pieceit might be the awesome feeling of ripping the bread apart, it could be commanding the muscles in the fingers to do the work, it could be creating a pattern by making all the pieces the same size. And it could simply be that they are hungry and need a bite! We are here to provide this activity, not judge it. Who are we to decide what is perfect?

It’s the 3-year-old who enters our environment having never held a knife, their parent telling us that their child will NOT eat anything green, who 3 hours later has created a meal from scratch to consumption, licking their salad plate clean, having harvested and chopped vegetables (yes green ones), now excited to share their experience with their parents and then makes the same meal at home that very night... ...It’s the 10-year-old child with Autism who feels safe and inspi...red to work on their independence and essential life skills in a place where they can work at their own pace... ...It’s the 16 and 17-year-old teens that are learning to become independent in the kitchen before they head off into the real world to become their best selves... ...Changing Lives From Scratch is not just your everyday, average tagline. It is a movement that is having a very tangible impact on society.

This was a big favourite with our students AND their parents. One parent said that she could see this on a brunch menu at a fancy restaurantand her child made it! It’s a good one for the days that breakfast feels like lunch and lunch feels like dinner! #diyrecipe #diy #recipe #changinglivesfromscratch #foodsofinstagram #localfood #goodfoodlovers #vegetablelovers #homemade #homemadefood #foodstagram #homemadecooking #foodie #funwithfood #foodlover #zoodle #zucchini #zucchinirecipes #healthyfood @vancouvermom.ca

Can you believe it's already September? Happy Labour Day everyone. Wishing you all a restful day with loved ones.

We still have a few spots available for our families that have a crazy week in front of them! And for those families who are homeschooling, we are offering classes during traditional school hours too! Check out our website for details. https://buff.ly/3bqshKy

BREAKING NEWS: we're thrilled to announce that we've signed two multi-unit deals for 62 new locations in Canada and the U.S. It's both humbling and rewarding to find like-minded entrepreneurs who want to join us in changing lives from scratch. Learn more here:

One of our biggest goals at LKA is to provide a safe space where our students can build their independence and confidence in the kitchen. Yes, we know they will also use basic math concepts, experiment with science, begin to understand the importance of seasonal, local food and refine their palates. But the BEST results are often overheard: Now my mom will never have to crack an egg again because I can do it! or I did it! By myself! I’m a really great chef! I feel so grown up! I didn’t know I could like tomatoes! And how lucky are we to be a part of it? Every class. Every day.

There's still time to enter to win our final contest of the summer. As a reminder, here's what we're giving away: 1 ChopValue charcuterie board 1 set of Welcome Industries visual measuring cups 1 ChefWorks chef coat, ordered to size ... 1gift certificate to BIRKENSTOCK worth $110 1 Aerogarden sprout unit 1 complimentary LKA registration for a fall session That's a total value of over $750! So hurry over to our contest post on Instagram and enter before 5:00 PM today!

On the heels of 16 straight weeks of record sales amidst a pandemic and announcing our 5th location to be opened, we are now seeking franchisees for BC, AB, ON for Canada and AZ, CA, CO, FL, OR, TX, and WA for the US. If you are like-minded and have the right ingredients to join us in changing lives from scratch, this is your opportunity to open your own LKA, develop a market, or become a development partner for an entire province or state. Visit, https://buff.ly/34uaKQ7 to learn more. #changinglivesfromscratch

Have you heard our new ads for our fall sessions on Z95.3? Check them out!

It's the last week of our summer of giveaways, celebrating our 1-Year Anniversary and we're making it EPIC with one last contest. This week, we're giving away... 1 ChopValue charcuterie board 1 set of Welcome Industries visual measuring cups 1 ChefWorks chef coat, ordered to size ... 1gift certificate to BIRKENSTOCK worth $110 1 Aerogarden sprout unit 1 complimentary LKA registration for a fall session To enter, it's very simple. You just have to: 1. Follow us on Instagram 2. Like our contest post 3. Tag 3 friends in the comments Our final giveaway will close at 5:00 PM PST on Friday, August 28, 2020. Winner will be randomly drawn and notified on Monday, August 31, 2020. #happyanniversaryLKA #instagramgiveaway This contest is not affiliated with Instagram. Total prize value is approximately $750. Open to residents of the US and Canada (excluding Quebec). Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Winner will be required to answer a skill-testing question.

One of the most frequent questions we get from parents is: "Why don’t you post what the recipe is ahead of time?" It's a good question. The answer is for many reasons; trying to cook seasonably, we find what is at its peak and use it right away. We also tailor recipes to the weather (if we can!) and we are always going to make sure there are options for our students with dietary restrictions. Plus, we won’t ever use a product that is substandard. But in relation to this quot...e, we believe our students feel joy and build confidence in the WORK! WHAT they made is usually just a bonus. Many of our recipes are new to our students, and they aren’t concerned because using knives or a Kitchenaid mixer is the fun part. How many of us have seen a young child work so hard to build a tower of blocks only to knock it down and start again? It isn’t about the towerit’s about the work. See more

The only broth we ever use at LKA is Pacific Foods' Organic Vegetable Broth. It is a beautiful golden colour, it smells yummy and our students always want to taste it. Because we don’t cook with meat, poultry or seafood, we need a rich flavourful broth to add depth of flavour to our sauces and soups and Pacific is the best. We also love to have lots of non-dairy milk options for our students that have different diets or preferences. How much fun is it to get to present oat mi...lk, soy milk or coconut milk as options in our work? Pulling out the choices, inviting our students to decide which is best for themthat is empowerment at work. When we met Deanna and Jeff, they were so excited to watch our students explore their products. I suspect they would have stayed for a class themselves if we would have let them! They share our core values. They know that empowering our students to take risks and try something new provides essential life skills that will be with them forever. (plus some pretty tasty dishes!!!) Immediately Pacific wanted to partner with us. They knew their products would provide a responsible healthy choice for our students. Thank you Pacific Foods for coming on this journey with us. Together we are changing lives from scratch.