About Our Judges

Jennifer Bain, Toronto Star, Food Editor.

Jennifer writes about her eating and drinking adventures as Saucy Lady. She likes to explore new and emerging food cultures in Greater Toronto and the edible work of Ontario farmers, but will write about, eat and cook just about anything that sounds delicious. She’s married to an Alberta bison rancher who keeps her well-supplied with meat.

Kathryn Blais, Category Manager Deli, Sobeys Ontario.

A native of Winnipeg, Kathryn began her Sobeys career in 1993 as a part-time employee in the deli department.  She moved to Ontario in the fall of 2005 and is currently the Category Manager for Deli Meats for Sobeys Ontario Inc.  She shares herhome with her loyal Daschunds Poncho and Chopper.

Rita DeMontis, Lifestyle and Food Editor, Toronto SUN & National Food Editor, SUN MEDIA

Rita DeMontis is an award-winning writer who has been with the Toronto SUN newspaper for more than 34 years, where she currently resides as the resident local Lifestyle and Food editor as well as National Food Editor for the SUN MEDIA chain. She has a weekend radio spot on Newstalk 1010 and has appeared regularly on television, including CITY-TV’S Breakfast Television, Global TV, CTV Canada AM, CH-TV, OMNI and Telelatino. Rita has appeared on CityLine, Food Network and Restaurant Makeover and also hosted an 80-episode national cooking show called CUCINAetc. She has freelanced for several national magazines, including Canadian Living and Partners Magazine.

Paul believes in food as a tool for change. He is a high school culinary arts teacher in Stratford, Ontario; a chef; writer for 'Best Health Magazine'; Host of 'Fink'- on Food Network Canada & the Halogen Network in the USA and a father of three incredible children.You can follow Paul on Twitter @paulfink.

Jason Garforth, Starsky Finest European Foods, Meat Specialist.

Jason began his apprenticeship in butchery in England as a teenager, to help support his soccer training. At eighteen, he left the meat industry to begin his career as a professional soccer player in England and Florida. When his sports career ended he once again turned to the butchering trade, honing his skills over many years. Jason has been part of the Starsky team for almost five years.

Nadine Hughes, Entrepreneur and Author

Nadine is the creator and owner of, The Cook's Companionand The Menu Companion, through which she offers kitchen consultations, menu planning services as well as private cooking classes for adults and teens throughout Southern Ontario. She is also an award winning author, her latest cookbook "The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet - Easy Ways To Put The Fun Back Into Entertaining" (awarded Best Canadian Entertaining Cookbook at the 2009 Gourmand Cookbook Awards). Nadine is a regular contributor to Real Life.

When not working as culinary consultant on Food Network Canada’s top show, “Pitchin’ In", or hosting 86'd Mondays--a night for the city's food and wine industry players--at the famed Drake Hotel, Ivy Knight writes about the food scene for various publications, among them the Globe and Mail, Toronto Life and the Toronto Star. With ten years experience cooking in professional kitchens, her approach to writing is from a cook's perspective. In her five years as a freelance writer she's interviewed some of the world's greatest chefs, including Jacques Pepin, Michel Roux and Anthony Bourdain as well as food personalities like Ruth Reichl and Calvin Trillin.

Jacqui and her husband have owned and operated an independent, full service, grocery store in Chesley since 1987. Located in Bruce County, the heart of beef country in Mid-Western Ontario, they are proud to offer their customers many local products. Jacqui currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocery.

Signe Langford, CityBites, Associate Editor.

Signe is a recovering vegetarian who’s making up for lost time. She’s a writer, chef, photographer, food stylist, and restaurant critic and contributor to LCBO’s Food & Drink, Toronto Life, Sweat Equity and City Bites to name just a few. She loves wine, snacks, and yoga, though perhaps not in equal measure. She shares her Toronto Victorian cottage with two found budgies and a rescued chihuahua with issues.

Emily Richards, P.H.Ec.

Emily is a highly qualified and well-regarded Professional Home Economist with more than 15 years of hands-on experience in the food industry. This is backed by a Bachelor of Science, Home Economics specializing in Food and Nutrition from the University of Western Ontario. Emily has authored and co-authored three cookbooks and continues to create recipes for notable Canadian magazines and companies such as: LCBO Food & Drink, Today's Parent Magazine, Longo's Experience Magazine, Heart & Stroke Foundation, Egg Farmers of Canada, Dairy Farmers of Canada and Maple Leaf Prime Chicken and Pork.

Annabelle Waugh, Canadian Living, Food Director.

Annabelle demonstrates her accessible approach to food in the recipes she has delivered to Canadian families for more than a decade. She has spent her career working in the test kitchens of various acclaimed Canadian and American publications and their associated websites, such as Canadian Living, Homemakers, What's Cooking, Qu'est-ce qui Mijote and Food & Family, as well as acting as a food consultant on set for the televised version of What's Cooking on CityTV. She has also contributed to several cookbooks, such as The Blender Bible and The Complete Canadian Living Cookbook.