members directory

My name is Marlene Hoff, Chef, Hospitality Trainer, Passionate Foodie & Advocate for Local, Sustainable & Ethical food & wine. In 2013 I turned my passion into a business to spread the word about local, sustainable & ethical food & wine & established “100 mile foodie”, a cooking school & catering business focusing on supporting local & sourcing as many ingredients as possible within 100 miles from my kitchen.
After a successful 5 years of running my business I recieved a call from a Mum who asked me if I could teach her daughter to cook, yes of course I said, she has Autism & is funded by NDIS, both I had limited knowledge about but I took on the challenge anyway.
Since 2018 I have continued to offer catering & cooking classes but added in an extremely rewarding new business teaching young people who live with a disability Independent living skills, creating independence around maintaining a healthy, safe & functional kitchen whilst learning all about seasonality, healthy food choices & the joys of preparing, cooking & sharing a meal around a table with newly formed friendships.
In 2023 we added yet another dimension to the business introducing paid supported employment by offering our clients a job supported by a support worker on a 1:1 basis. This has been very successful with clients chosing what area of the business they would like to work in, they can choose between making preserves, baking dog, cat & chicken treats, markets on the weekends, kitchenhand work or working in the kitchen-garden.
Most clients have chosen to work in the pet treat area of the business which is called Lily's Dog Treats, Harry & Megan Cat Treats & Reds Chook Treats, making dough, cutting treats out, baking, packaging, labelling, delivering to our 50 stockists across the Mornington Peninsula & South Gippsland or working Wednesday/weekends selling at markets.
I love how my business continues to evolve taking every opportunity to enhance the lives of people living with a disability whilst creating many opportunities to showcase the amazing work my 30 staff (inclusive of those living with a disabilty employed within our paid supported employment program) do every single day.
We are in the process of creating a Not-for-profit called 'The Supported Kitchen INC' which will incorporate all paid supported employment jobs from our pet & human treat businesses that we currently run eventually moving away from NDIS funding into a more collaborative business with like minded philanthropists & purpose driven organisations.
When I'm not working I adore the beach, animals, travel, cooking & sharing a meal outdoors with family & friends.I share my life with my husband Frank, two children Hamish & Monique, my first granddaughter, Audrey Lotte, 2 rescue cats, Harry & Megan & 4 chooks.
For the 2nd year in a row I am proud to be involved with my staff in charities 'Share the Dignity', ' The Nappy Collective' & in 2026 look forward to being a Story Dog volunteer at Tyabb Rail PS with Golden Retriever Sunny, who I babysit 2 days per week.
I fell in love with Africa on a recent visit in May 2025 & am working towards going back in 2026 to volunteer in a disability unit in either Botswana/Zimbabwe, hopefully with a group ofstaff, others within the disability field to share what we know & contibute to change within their communities.
I'm excited to join WiB MP, an opportunity for me to continually learn from other women & share my strengths, challenges, passion & goals which drive me daily to establish the paths for all women especially young women in business to follow their dreams.