Rita DeMontis is an award-winning journalist, editor and writer whose career has spanned decades. For more than 47 years, Rita rose through the ranks of the Toronto SUN Newspaper, a division of Postmedia Network, covering everything from crime to entertainment to human interest stories and, where for the last 25 years she was the senior National Lifestyle and Food Editor, with her stories appearing across the chain, and being read as far away as Australia.
With substantial writing and investigative skills, DeMontis also has an impressive background in multi-media both in radio, television and online.
She once hosted her own weekend radio show called Dishing with DeMontis, on Sirius XM Canada Talks, and spent many years on Newstalk 1010. She has appeared regularly on CITY-TV’S Breakfast Television, Global TV, CTV Canada AM, CityLine and Food Network Canada. has also been interviewed on both CNN and the BBC and once hosted her own national cooking show called CUCINAetc, produced by LePore Media in Quebec.
She has an extensive volunteer background, belongs to several professional groups and has sat on various boards, as well as helping teach at-risk youths how to cook through a special Stone Soup initiative presented by her local police department. DeMontis has been a keynote speaker on many occasions and has lectured periodically for York University, Humber College as well as several marketing associations.
In 2018, DeMontis was awarded the Gold as top food writer in Canada from the Ontario Hostelry Institute. She was also honoured in a national Canadian book celebrating 32 of the most influential Canadian women of Italian origin.
Rita lives in Etobicoke with her husband, Mario Ruffolo, a retired urban planner, and three bossy cats.