Online Course

online
A real experience to take your first steps in the world of the oil supply cha...

Official Technical Course

23 Mar / 
27 Mar
Imperia
Have a good nose and be a foodie are not sufficient features to become a prof...

Table Olives Course

16 Feb / 
18 Feb
Andria
The ONAOO "Table Olives" course provides a comprehensive introduction to this...
Merily Peterson
( Estonia )

PROFILO:

I began my journey with O.N.A.O.O. in 2022 as an enthusiast, driven by a desire to better understand olive oil. I attended the Official Technical Course without specific goals, but with great curiosity and a strong willingness to learn. I chose O.N.A.O.O. for its excellent reputation, international scope, and focus on professional training.

In April 2025, after completing the two-year Advanced Course, I became a certified Professional Olive Oil Taster. The program provided me with a clear method to taste and confidently identify both the positive attributes and defects of olive oil. Moreover, I consider knowledge and experience crucial in evaluating and selecting the right oil, and in being able to explain it effectively to others.

I also greatly value the international community that has formed — being able to learn from and interact with producers, importers, chefs, tasters, educators, and enthusiasts from around the world. This experience has motivated me to share more, organize tastings, and invite others to discover the richness of olive oil.

Currently, I am the founder of OLIIV, a company specializing in the import, sale, and promotion of high-quality extra virgin olive oil in Estonia. My goal is to spread knowledge and appreciation of quality olive oil, creating opportunities for discovery and sharing through tastings and cultural events.

This commitment stems from a passion cultivated over time: in the early 2000s, while studying Italian language and culture at the University for Foreigners of Perugia, I had the fortune to taste freshly pressed olive oil during the harvest in Umbria — a powerful and unforgettable experience.

Upon returning to Estonia, I began working in the food distribution sector, promoting Italian products for restaurants and major distributors. In 2008, I co-organized the first olive oil tasting event in Estonia, where I discovered the role of the professional taster — an idea that has since accompanied me throughout my journey.

Over the years, I have attended fairs such as Cibus, TuttoFood, Olio Capitale, and Sol&Agrifood. I have met producers in Italy and Spain, broadening my knowledge and deepening my respect for the dedication and passion involved in producing high-quality olive oils.

Nazione:

Estonia

Città:

Tallinn

Webpage:

https://oliiv.eu/

Sfoglia il profilo di questi altri Iscritti al Registro Internazionale oppure torna all'elenco completo.

Giulio Surci

Professional Taster since 2024

Catherine Fogel

Catherine Fogel has been engaged in the field of gastronomy since 2002. In the same year, she met ONAOO and became a taster.

She subsequently completed a course for panel leaders organized by ONAOO in 2005, attaining the qualification of panel leader. In 2018, having completed an advanced educational course, she obtained the ONAOO Professional Taster qualification. In 2008, Catherine founded “Olivoteque” to present quality olive oils to consumers (www.Olivoteque.com).

She also provides consulting services to several companies in Europe, assisting with the administration and sourcing of high-quality products. Since 2004, Catherine has been a judge in several gastronomic competitions, including the World Cheese Awards, which she has been involved with since 2008. She is also a member of the Guild of International Cheesemongers.

In 2011, she was appointed Ambassador for the Scandinavian countries. In 2021, she was appointed Chevalier de L’Ordre du Merite Agricole by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food. She frequently collaborates with numerous renowned European chefs.

Domenico Donato

Domenico was born in Messina in 1986 and graduated in biological sciences with a degree in nutrition.

He currently works as the chemical laboratory manager for oil quality control at ‘Manfredi Barbera e Figli SPA,’ one of the most well-known oil mills in Sicily. In 2021, he obtained his physiological suitability for tasting and in 2024 he obtained the title of professional taster O.N.A.O.O.

Edoardo Alberti

Edoardo was born in Imperia in 1994; he graduated in Business Administration in Genoa and he furthered his studies with a full time master’s degree in “Sales and Retail Management” in the “24 Ore Business School” in Milan. Since 2020 he has been living and working in Imperia and its rear valleys. The family business of the same name is based here, which produces and trades typical Ligurian and other products. He has been started his path as an olive oil taster in 2020, since 2021 he has been registered in the National Register of Technicians and Experts. In 2023 he obtained the qualification of Professional Taster of ONAOO.

Through my company Oliiv, I import, introduce, and sell high-quality extra virgin olive oil in Estonia, primarily through an online store and curated experiences. The website and e-shop provide the opportunity to learn more about each product and make informed purchases.

My activities include guided tastings, culinary pairings, and cultural events — from intimate gatherings at home to market events and musical evenings with olive-oil-based cocktails. The goal is always to spark curiosity and offer enjoyable and educational experiences centered on olive oil.

In a country where butter dominates the cuisine, there is great potential to show how olive oil can be part of a healthy, joyful Mediterranean lifestyle. For this reason, collaboration with chefs and cooking schools is becoming an important part of my work.

Looking ahead, I am particularly interested in engaging with the international olive oil community. Participating in global competitions — both as a taster and as a judge — is one of my aspirations. It is a valuable way to continue learning, contribute to quality standards, and bring new ideas and energy to the Estonian market.

We venture into the culinary world not just for taste, but also for culture. It means experiencing a moment of insight, a flash of memory, or understanding a tradition, a civilization. — Umberto Eco

International Register

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Registration in the register is an authentic value, not only added, but fundamental, for the definition of an effective and convincing business profile

This membership opens the door to all the possibilities that the world of oil offers to the tasting professional.

Official Technical Course

The first step into the world of Tasting

Training as professional olive oil tasters is not only a personal pleasure: the universe that revolves around olive oil and its supply chain also offers a wide range of job, growth and specialization opportunities.

The course is open to everyone, even to those without any experience in the oil sector.

Participants who pass the four selective tests receive a Certificate of Physiological Suitability for Tasting.

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Advanced Course

an in-depth knowledge of sensory analysis

The advanced course allows you to consolidate and deepen your knowledge of oil tasting and obtain the qualification of ONAOO Professional Taster, but above all, to be included in the "International Register of Professional Tasters".

The ONAOO advanced course, aimed at inclusion in the International Register of Professional Tasters

Qualified national and international organizations and companies in the sector draw from the Register to find experts in the sector to include in their entrepreneurial realities

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Table Olives Course

Sensory and Technical Experience Table Olives

Participants learn about varieties, processing, and sensory tasting, with practical exercises under the guidance of experts.

Sensory and Technical Experience Table Olives

Participants learn about varieties, processing, and sensory tasting, with practical exercises under the guidance of experts.

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Online Courses

ONLINE INDIVIDUAL PREPARATORY COURSE FOR OLIVE OIL TASTING.

To learn how to taste an olive oil directly from your home.

An individual lesson with a tasting professional

A real experience to take the first steps in the world of the oil supply chain and oil tasters.

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Certified Tasting Days

ASPIRING OLIVE OIL TASTER

Participants are invited to recognize strengths, weaknesses, qualities and organoleptic characteristics of the various oils

Attestation issued by a Panel Head

A practical test in which everything learned during the technical course is applied in practice.

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Corso Tecnico Ufficiale

Il primo passo nel mondo dell'Assaggio

Un vero esperto dell”oro liquido” si distingue da un semplice amatore in virtù della sua formazione.

Corso Avanzato

un approfondimento del sapere sull’analisi sensoriale

Consente di consolidare e approfondire le conoscenze sull’assaggio degli oli e l'inserimento nel “Registro Internazionale Assaggiatori Professionisti”.

Corsi Online

CORSO ONLINE INDIVIDUALE PROPEDEUTICO ALL’ASSAGGIO DELL'OLIO DI OLIVA.

Per imparare ad assaggiare un olio di oliva direttamente da casa tua.

Sedute di Assaggio Certificate

Attestazione rilasciata da un Capo Panel

Sedute di assaggio certificate, tenute nei modi e nei tempi previsti dalla normativa vigente.

Corso Olive da Tavola

Esperienza Sensoriale e Tecnica Olive da Tavola

Sedute di assaggio certificate, tenute nei modi e nei tempi previsti dalla normativa vigente.