With the increasing demand for a safe, inspiring, and empowering space for children to identify, develop, and refine their senses – Little Kitchen Academy, the first-of-its-kind, Montessori-inspired cooking academy – has announced its Texas development deal. The brand’s first entry in the Lone Star state, Little Kitchen Academy is set to develop 75 locations across Texas, focusing on key markets including Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio, with the flagship location planned for Austin later this year. Partnering with the all-star team at Wonderful Chaos Kitchen, LLC, Little Kitchen Academy’s expansion will be led by Bill Duffy, boasting over a decade of franchise experience, alongside Josh Cole, Justin Stone, Raymond Yee, Yehuda Haziza, Tim Kurtz, and Matt Powell.
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“I first heard about Little Kitchen Academy through Caroline Irving, LKA Ontario Development Partner, after she announced that she was developing the concept in Toronto and throughout Ontario. I decided to inquire more, ultimately flying out to Vancouver to meet with Little Kitchen Academy team and see first hand how the brand was changing lives,” said Duffy. “The environment was like nothing I had ever seen before, allowing children to experiment and learn in their own way, not by the standardized measures we so often see. At one point, students put bowls on top of their heads because they simply wanted to see what they could do with it. In that moment, I knew I was sold.”
The team behind Wonderful Chaos Kitchen, LLC is excited to draw on their roots in Texas to help their franchise partners succeed. Together, their team offers over 50 years of experience in franchising, both as franchisees and franchisors, specializing in restaurant, retail, and multi-unit development across the Lone Star state. They are eager to bring a concept that will improve the wellbeing of the communities it serves, as their team is deeply fond of Texas and wants to provide this exceptional opportunity to children throughout the state.
“We are thrilled to join the Little Kitchen Academy team as it serves those on ‘both sides of the counter,’ meaning staff and students alike are excited to be a part of this experience. It was important to us to partner with a concept that’s not only successful but would resonate with our values,” said Duffy. “Little Kitchen Academy is so much more than just a cooking school, it’s an opportunity to give the next generation the tools they need to succeed. A big factor that attracted us to this concept was their charitable work and social impact, which is something that we’re thrilled to bring to communities across Texas.”