A Montessori-inspired kitchen academy in Surrey is helping kids gain independence.
Little Kitchen Academy Panorama Village, located at 101-15230 Hwy. 10, opened in December. It’s the second location in the city, with the South Surrey open since July 2021.
Angela Popoff, LKA area developer for B.C., said she and her husband Nicholas got involved with Little Kitchen Academy just before the pandemic.
She said the wait list for the South Surrey location was “very, very long,” so that’s why they found the need for a second location
She described Little Kitchen Academy as a “first-of-its-kind Montessori-inspired cooking academy” for kids aged three to 18.
Popoff added that many parents would love help in the kitchen, “but they’re so busy and doing it right and doing it safely and watching everything else that’s going around … and cleaning up the mess after them is a little bit difficult.”
But it’s not just about cooking, she said.
“All the little kids, they want to cook with (their parents) in the kitchen. They come to Little Kitchen and they see all of the regular utensils you would see in mom or dad’s kitchen and they get so excited,” said Popoff.
“They’re learning how to use these tools on their own, so they’re gaining independence. They’re learning how to pick fresh produce at the local market or from their back garden and what to do with it and what’s seasonal. We’re teaching them basically independence.”
With LKA, they’ll “never repeat a recipe, ever,” says the Panorama Village director Marle Simmons.
“We normally try to start with a breakfast item for them and then a snack and then a lunch or a dinner and then to finish with dessert.”
Simmons said the Panorama Village have also brought on high school students to assist with the classes to either enhance their ability to work with kids or help with public speaking.
For more information on Little Kitchen Academy, or to register, visit littlekitchenacademy.com/locations/surrey-panorama/#!/registration.
lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
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