KITCHEN / GARDEN TEAM
KITCHEN TEAM
DESIREE JOHNSON - CHEF (Central campus)
(SHE/HER)
CARON XAVIER - CHEF (East campus)
(HE/HIM/THEY)
Hey! My name is Caron (kuh-ron) but the kids here at Little Inspirations like to call me “Chef Caron.” I am the cook here at the east campus. I’ve been working in the food industry since 2013. Food is the way to the hearts of many. It’s a way to form a community. There is nothing better to me than seeing the smile on someone’s face after they’ve tasted my creations.
When I am not cooking (or watching bad reality tv), I love eating! Some of my favorite cuisines are from all over Asia. I love Korean barbecue, Chinese braised pork, and Indian butter chicken. Being a cook for a child care facility is new to me, but it has been my pleasure to fill these tiny tummies with delicious food.
GARDEN TEAM
KIRSTEN ARRKE - GARDEN MANGER
(SHE/HER)
Over the past 20 years, I have developed public gardens to connect people of all ages to growing organic food and to the abundant web of life that supports these gardens. As Garden Manager at Little Inspirations, I seek to connect students to nature and the food we eat. The garden is central to our program, but only one part of our play. We grow, water, pick, smell, taste, feel, and explore the garden and our natural play spaces through hands-on student-initiated activities and art.
We tend our worms and use their castings to fertilize our garden. We plant flowers and herbs for butterflies and bring a few caterpillars inside to witness the transformation from caterpillar, chrysalis, to butterfly, and then let them go. We search and observe squirrels, rabbits, insects, birds, and the wildlife in our garden. We play with mud, sand, and play dough. We pretend to cook in our outdoor kitchen. We make music, read stories, and build towers, bridges, and go wherever their imagination takes us.
This is Nature Play. This is my goal, my challenge, and my passion.