Aldo holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Genoa and a Master of Science in Communication and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) with certification from Dr. Richard Bandler’s NLP Society.
He has been professionally engaged in the fields of oil and quality for two decades.
In 2023 and 2024, he was included in the official list of the 110 Panel Leaders recognized by the International Olive Council (C.O.I.). Additionally, he has served as a MASAF Panel Leader in Italy since 2023, directing the Federolio 4 Panel.
He has professional experience in the industry as a master blender and quality control specialist, having worked with leading companies in Italy and abroad, including DEOLEO/CARAPELLI, SUGAT Industries LTD group, and others.
He has been a professional taster for the ONAOO since 2000, when he was included in the Panel of the CCIAA of Imperia for the certification of PDO oils. He was awarded the prestigious first prize in the National Competition organized by ONAOO, “The Taster of the Year,” and he was subsequently awarded the absolute title again in 2021.
Since 2016, he has been the driving force behind the Monte Carlo Masters of Olive Oil International Competition (MOOOIC). He has also served as a judge and panel head in numerous national and international competitions in Italy, Turkey, Israel, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and South Africa.
Over the years, he has participated as a guest lecturer and lecturer in public, corporate, and university conferences in different countries, including Italy, Israel, South Africa, Turkey, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and others. In 2023, he published his first popular book, entitled “EVOO 99+1 Questions to Really Know Olive Oil.”
He provides business consulting and training services, organizing courses for individuals and companies in Italy and abroad in Italian and English.
Professional Taster of O.N.A.O.O. since 2022.
Saskia was born in the Netherlands and currently lives with her beloved family in Belgium, where she practises her profession. She graduated in medicine at the University of Antwerp, specialising in gynaecology and obstetrics. In addition to her medical career, Saskia is passionate about her family, sports, creativity and cooking.
Her love for olive oil blossomed during her travels and led her to deepen her knowledge of this natural product, rich in health-promoting properties.
She attended courses at the ONAOO Institute in Imperia. In 2024, after three years of intensive training, Saskia qualified as a professional taster. Determined to make people aware of the many benefits of olive oil, she is actively expanding her network of contacts and passionately pursuing the path that this extraordinary raw material offers her. She has a particular interest in Croatian olive oil, an area she explores with great curiosity.
Besides her management career as a Civil Engineer and Economist, Ilknur pursued her ambition to learn more about the plants and herbs of her native Turkey and their nutritional importance since 2004, gaining degrees in Agriculture and Culinary Arts.
Growing up on the Aegean coast of Anatolia amongst ancient olive groves led her become a Certified Olive Oil Sommelier and in 2019 started her educational path in the ONAOO School ended in 2022 becoming a Professional Taster.
She currently conducts masterclasses and is a consultant on the subject of the Mediterranean lifestyle, specializing in olive oil tasting and its use in cooking since she’s a Chef. She’s also a Business Consultant based in UK.
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.
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 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".
Participants learn about varieties, processing, and sensory tasting, with practical exercises under the guidance of experts.
Participants are invited to recognize strengths, weaknesses, qualities and organoleptic characteristics of the various oils
