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.

Murat Faik Ünver

Murat Faik Ünver, of Swiss and Turkish descent, was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland. From a young age, he developed a deep interest in culinary arts and cooking. To pursue this passion, he studied Applied Sciences in Hospitality Management and Business Administration at Glion Hospitality School in Montreux.

After completing his university studies, he worked in the hospitality industry for a time, but he soon realized his true calling was to produce something from the land and engage in agriculture. To fulfill his aspirations, Murat returned to his roots in Turkey, where he planted approximately 3,000 olive trees and began cultivating his family’s land. Additionally, he acquired an abandoned olive oil factory, marking the beginning of his brand, Olivya Gökçeovacık. Since 2019, Murat and his team have been producing their own high-quality olive oil, supplying it locally to those who seek premium olive oil.

Over the years, they have garnered multiple awards, creating many moments of pride. Driven by his passion for creating and producing, Murat’s pursuit of becoming a certified olive oil sommelier will further enhance his expertise and enable him to continue excelling in his field.

Antonella Meyer-Masciulli

Antonella has been an ONAOO professional taster since 2017.

After obtaining her sensory certification, she has been a member and judge of the Swiss Olive Oil Panel (SOP) at the ZHAW School of Life Sciences and Facility Management since 2002.

Since 2002 she has been a judge for the “ZHAW International Olive Oil Award” and other international competitions. She is the owner and managing director of “Mitera GmbH”: a producer of Cretan millennial quality olive oil, approved by DNA in both Crete and Umbria. She is also a nutritionist.

Sheng Tsai Alex Lu

Alex, a native food enthusiast and skilled chef from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, runs a restaurant called Alessandro Mediterranean, which offers a wide array of delectable Mediterranean dishes.

Driven by his passion for European cuisine, Alex has also established a European gourmet food store. This store specializes in various European food products and tableware, with a particular emphasis on Italian cuisine. It aims to bring authentic European flavors to its customers by providing high-quality ingredients, handcrafted products, and elegant silverware, creating a unique dining experience. Alex honed his skills in this area as a professional olive oil taster by completing his training in ONAOO in 2018. He also serves as a trainer for the Specialty Coffee Association.

With these skills, he ensures that customers receive the finest products and services. To help customers understand European culinary culture better, Alex’s store regularly hosts cooking and coffee classes and wine-tasting events. These activities allow customers to learn how to create authentic European dishes hands-on and bring the Italian lifestyle to their homes.

Michelle Ruata

Michelle, born in 1997, graduated in Business Administration in the University of Studies in Torino. In 2020 passed the selective trials at the end of the Official Technical Course for Olive Oil Tasters obtaining the Certificate of Physiological Suitability for Tasting. In 2022, after passing the advanced course’s exam, she became a Professional Taster of ONAOO. Currently she has been working in the family olive oil mill, F.lli Ruata S.p.a., in Baldissero d’Alba (Cuneo, Piedmont).

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.