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More Than a Meal: How Kim Sutherland is Nourishing Families at RMHC

Kim Sutherland is redefining what comfort food means for families staying at Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) in Southwestern Ontario. For Kim, comfort goes beyond snacks on the couch; it’s about nourishing families with warm, handmade meals that provide care, connection, and support when they need it most. 

Chef Kim in a black chef's coat and a child in a white chef's coat are preparing food together at a stainless steel counter with oranges and grapes.

As Manager of Nutrition and Wellness, Kim is transforming how food is prepared, sourced, and served to families during some of life’s most challenging moments. Under her leadership, the London location now provides fresh, locally sourced meals each day, ensuring families have access to nutritious food throughout their stay. 

Chef Kim brings decades of experience in food system improvement, including work focused on supporting the mental health of chefs and food service teams. At RMHC, she applies that same people-first approach, recognizing that food plays an important role in both emotional and physical wellbeing.

Through partnerships with local farmers and using a freeze-drying machine, Kim helps reduce food waste while preserving surplus harvests for use throughout the year. She also engages children staying at the House by supporting them in growing their own sprouts. This simple act helps connect kids with food and encourages small but meaningful moments of choice, learning, and care.

Kim is committed to listening to and learning from Indigenous families who travel from remote communities to stay at RMHC. By respectfully incorporating Indigenous Ways of Knowing into her approach to meal preparation, she helps create food that supports healing in mind, body, and spirit.

Kim says “[she] would like to share the connection to food and wellbeing for everyone and the importance it plays in the lives of patients as well as caregivers.”

Through her leadership, RMHC is providing more than meals. It is creating a welcoming food experience rooted in respect, compassion, and long-term impact, helping families across the region feel cared for.

Learn more about RMHC Southwestern Ontario at https://ronaldmcdonaldhouseswo.ca/ 

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Moazzez Confectionary: Where Tradition Meets Innovation

About Moazzez Confectionary

Moazzez Confectionary is a premium confectionary brand specializing in giftable, shelf-stable treats with an artisanal approach. Founded by food scientist Dr. Benjamin Moazzez and his wife, Manj, the business brings together carefully developed recipes, distinctive flavour profiles, and thoughtfully designed packaging. 

Drawing on family recipes from northwestern Iran – shaped by a rich mix of cultural influences – their products are reimagined for contemporary tastes in London, Ontario. Each item is made in small batches, with close attention to ingredient selection and formulation.

Craft, Ingredients, and Transparency

At Moazzez Confectionary, simplicity and precision guide the process. Products are made with a short list of high-quality ingredients and clearly labeled to provide customers with detailed nutritional information. This transparency allows customers to make informed choices based on their own preferences and needs. 

 

Their product line includes items such as chai-spiced loaf cakes, freshly brewed chai, a masala mix, and hazelnut spread. The cakes are designed to remain fresh for several weeks, supporting both convenience and giftability. Benjamin and Manj encourage people to experiment with these products in their own kitchens, using them as a starting point for creative flavour combinations and new food experiences.

Metal tins of hazelnut spread stacked in a wooden display rack, with orange-and-white labels visible on the front containers.

Rooted in Local Sourcing

Local sourcing is a key part of the business model. Moazzez Confectionary prioritizes ingredients from producers across Southwestern Ontario, including Arva Flour Mill, Harber Farms, and Walker Farm. The hazelnut spread, for example, features locally grown hazelnuts, highlighting the region’s agricultural offerings.

Packaged walnut raisin cakes, bags of hazelnuts, and pumpkin seeds displayed on a red tablecloth at a market stall.

This commitment extends beyond ingredients. Packaging and printing are also sourced locally whenever possible, supporting small businesses in London and across Ontario.

Community and Food Innovation

Moazzezz Confectionary actively contributes to the local food economy by keeping sourcing and production close to home and by highlighting the producers behind their ingredients. Their presence at the Western Fair Market connects them directly with the community and creates opportunities to share their products and story. 

Innovation is central to their work. From developing recipes with extended shelf life to incorporating unique ingredients like rowanberry extract, their approach blends food science with culinary tradition. As Dr. Moazzez describes it, the goal is to bring together “culinary innovation and local ingredients to create food that honours quality, sustainability, and the spirit of community.”