Founded in 2008 by Chef Maria Cummins, Cooking With Kids Miami began offering after-school cooking classes in the local area. As the excitement quickly spread through Miami Florida, Chef Maria became a favorite activity for children's birthday parties and fun-filled school field trips.

The growth and expansion of the Real Food Academy was a huge success. With her husband Arthur at her side, Chef Maria added a variety of new and exciting kids classes and cooking programs and launched a website featuring the Academy's signature recipes. The Academy was becoming a nation-wide sensation.

The enthusiasm infused through the adult sector and the Academy began offering special events and team-building parties to their curriculum. Making The Real Food Academy a true family endeavor.

Maria was becoming renowned for her "real food" culinary experiences. The popularity of the Academy led to Maria's life-long dream of a Real Food Academy franchise.

And now, Chef Maria is ready to share her delicious brand's simple rule for success:

My name is Giuseppe Catanzariti. I grew up in South Bend, Indiana and I've spent the last ten years as a chef in Chicago. I moved to Miami in June of 2019.

I became interested in cooking when I was growing up as a kid in my family's kitchen and restaurant, where I learned from my Nonna and Momma’s cooking traditions from Calabria in southern Italy. I also loved the science behind it. I thought it was just fascinating how organic material reacted to heat or salt. I also love the arts so, being able to combine the two to make something that we can eat with our eyes is a lot of fun! I have a memory of this!

My claim to fame comes from growing up in an Italian restaurant, working with some of the greatest chef’s in Chicago, and being able to travel the world and eat cuisines from across Europe to the Middle East

I started my career in my family's restaurant, I was the chef at age 22, then chef at a local bistro, as well as the catering chef at Indiana University at South Bend. From there, I moved to Chicago and moved my way up to Executive chef at Francesca's Forno, then Pane Caldo. I finally got out of the restaurant business and began working for Steve and Kate's summer camp for kids, while doing pop-up and experiential dining experiences as well as teaching cooking classes.

My role here at The Real Food Academy has been Chef Instructor as well as the summer camp director

I am going to show you how you can make healthy, whole delicious meals that are minimal and accessible ingredients. I am also going to be giving tips on techniques and preparation as well as sharing my knowledge of the ingredients.

Being able to share the knowledge I have with those who want to learn is one of the things I love about working at the Academy. My ultimate goal in life is to teach the world how to cook, and the Academy allows me to do it.