Hilary Ducharme | Age 29
Sales Representative, 100km Foods, Toronto
Hilary Ducharme’s first kitchen job was prepping food at the Best Western Hotel in Sarnia, Ont. when she was 17 years old. She completed the Culinary Management program at George Brown College and went on to work at Insomnia Restaurant for two years, being promoted from line cook to kitchen manager along the way.
In 2016, Ducharme travelled throughout Europe cooking in Michelin-Star restaurants and working on farms to learn from cheese masters, winemakers and vegetable farmers. With several years of experience working in kitchens, Ducharme found her greatest inspiration in growing and producing food.
Her family history of farming in Ontario also contributed to her deep appreciation for locally sourced, sustainable ingredients.
Fast forward to 2021, Ducharme joined 100km Foods as a sales representative. In this role, Durcharme developed a sampling program to increase awareness and access of local farm products in restaurants and created tools for chefs and lead projects, such as a seasonality calendar.
“Her colleagues consistently provide unsolicited praise for Hilary as a very competent and reliable teammate, but what really sets Hilary apart is her initiative and innovation — skills that are much harder to teach if they can be taught at all,” says Paul Sawtell, CEO, 100km Foods Inc.
