About me

Firstly, I was born in a family where olive oil and butter were always fighting for supremacy. My mother was English and my father was Italian coming from Spoleto. The latter is one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Umbria, a region in the center of Italy which is covered with olive groves, making it famous for its top quality extra virgin olive oil. Hence, I have been exposed to olive oil and the importance of consuming such product from as long as I can remember.

Even though my career was not initially in the food sector, it slowly developed in that field. I have had a successful career first as a Public Affair specialist in IBM Italy and Aspen Institute Italy then as Communication and Marketing entrepreneur. During my professional endeavors, however, I have become acquainted with many important chefs as well as top restaurants in Italy and abroad. In fact, I have been consultant for many food and beverage companies such as Peroni, Bud Wiser, Urbani Tartufi, Coca Cola Corporation US as well as organizing lots of important events and gala dinners in Italy and in Europe. Only 10 years ago, I have decided to redirect my attention to nature itself and the wonders that it produces. To do this, I decided to return to my Umbrian roots. Here, I started my new career in olivicolture, being trained as a professional olive oil taster, as well as table olive taster. I also received my certification as an olive mill technician and that of an olive tree pruner. I also went abroad to Turkey and Spain to learn more about how different countries are contributing to the sector.

My passion is to show people from all over the world the importance of consuming good olive oil. Furthermore, I want to give people the tools to recognize a good quality olive oil and choose by themselves what they want to consume. I love dealing with buyers at oil fairs in Italy as well as organizing successful olive oil tasting sessions or dinners for groups that come over to Italy. I also have experience with residential seminars or olive oil taster corners at wedding parties or other events.

Mission

My mission involves increasing the knowledge and awareness around extra virgin olive oil. To do so, I have designed courses to introduce foreigners to the basics of olive oil and professional tasting. My goal is to teach people the professional way to taste olive oil, understand the differences between various qualities of oil as well as providing insights on their nutraceutical qualities and defects. The importance of knowing about extra virgin olive oil stems from the fact that it is also a staple ingredient in the kitchen. In fact, extra virgin olive oil should not only be used for seasoning, but is one of the fundamental protagonists of the Mediterranean diet. My goal is not to recommend a specific type of oil or brand, but rather to teach people the specific skills and capabilities that enable them to choose and buy the best olive oil to meet their needs.

We are used to tasting oil on a bruschetta (toasted bread), but this is not the correct and professional way to understand an oil’s qualities and characteristics. We need to learn a tasting technique that is very simple but requires an explanation and a practical test. This will ensure that we are using both our olfactory and gustatory receptors, and to decipher the messages that our senses send us. Together, we will discover amazing things by tasting olive oil in a professional manner.

At the end of the course you will receive a bottle of 100 ml of top quality extra virgin olive oil. It will not always be the same oil but it will be an oil that is part of my selection of the oils produced by the olive growers I know and respect very much both for their commitment and passion for their work. I want you to bring home a taste of the great biodiversity that characterizes our entire Italian territory, whether it be from the warm islands of Sicily and Sardinia, the slopes of the Alps, the Tuscan hills or the Apulian plains. This will serve as an invitation to return to Italy to taste other delicious oils and products of our land.

At the end of the course you will be given a certificate of attendance in order to showcase the new skills you have learnt.