A New Era of Kids Culinary Education Begins With First Pilot Location Opening in Clark, New Jersey, Spring 2026
CLARK, NJ, December 2, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- Little Kitchen Academy (LKA), the premier Montessori-inspired cooking academy for children and teens ages 3 to 18, announces a transformative multi-store licensing agreement with Whole Foods Market, the leading natural and organic foods retailer. LKA's first East Coast location, Little Kitchen Academy Clark NJ, will launch inside Whole Foods Market located at the Clark Commons Shopping Center in Clark, New Jersey — one of the best places to live in NJ — opening Spring 2026, with plans for additional locations across North America.
At the heart of Little Kitchen Academy is a mission to empower children and teens with confidence, independence, and healthy habits that ripple out to families, schools, and entire communities. Little Kitchen Academy is creating a movement to bring meaningful, lasting change to the places it serves.
"Changing a child's life can transform families, schools, and communities. Through our collaboration with Whole Foods Market, we're expanding our Montessori-inspired culinary programs to more areas. We're excited to open our first East Coast location in Clark and look forward to LKA's positive impact on children, parents, educators, and neighbors. Together, we're building a healthier, more confident future," said Brian Curin, CEO/CMO and co-founder of Little Kitchen Academy.
What's Coming To Clark, NJ and The Greater Region
- First East Coast pilot location, Little Kitchen Academy Clark NJ, opens Spring 2026
- Signature 3-hour Montessori-inspired cooking classes and camps for ages 3–18 with caring instructors, small class sizes, and individual workstations, every child receives the time, tools, and attention they need to thrive
- Healthy Habits for Life: From understanding where food comes from to making balanced meals
- Toddler's First Taste: Cooking classes for 2- to 3-year-olds and their caregivers
- Recipes inspired by Whole Foods Market ingredients
- Appearances by celebrity chef Cat Cora
- Community events and charitable initiatives supporting LKA's Changing Lives From Scratch Fund and more
- Plans for additional locations in Whole Foods Market stores across North America
"Seeing Little Kitchen Academy reach the East Coast is a dream realized — a testament to the vision I had when we opened our very first LKA. From day one, I wanted to create a place where children could discover confidence, independence, and healthy habits that would ripple through their families, schools, and communities. Partnering with Whole Foods Market allows us to bring our Montessori-inspired programs to even more neighborhoods, empowering children, parents, educators, and neighbors to thrive together. This milestone isn't just about expansion-it's about fulfilling a promise to help every child build a healthier and more confident future, one delicious moment at a time," said Felicity Curin, founder/president and chief learning and curriculum officer.