“Olive oil is not an agricultural trade, it is a product of Love and Faith”.
Born in Baassir (Lebanon), one of the oldest countries to ever produce olive oil in the world, Ibrahim Al Kaakour is continuing an over 300 year old family legacy in the cultivation of olive oil.
Graduate of Electrical and Computer Engineering from the American University of Beirut and a holder of an Executive MBA with a focus on finance from Ésa/ESCP Europe, Ibrahim did not let his daily routine sway him from becoming a professional taster and a master blender/producer of olive oil.
To give homage to both his paternal Lebanese and maternal Greek Heritage, He currently owns two brands that he developed under his company LGOO with a luxury line of exquisite blends of olive oil, honey and many other organic products in state of the art branding.
Ibrahim is also keen on helping the local communities to improve the quality of olive oil and spread not only the know-who that he acquired as an olive oil sommelier, but also the culture, the roots and the love that he shares by hosting tasting sessions and introductory seminars in the olive oil center of the family Villa in the beautiful Mediterranean town of Baassir (a syriac aramian name that translates to “The House of Juice”).
From 2017 he is Member of ONAOO where he started his educational path. On January 2020 he concluded his studies by obtaining the Qualification of Professional Taster of ONAOO.

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.

Maria was born in Salento and lives between Busto Arsizio, Rome and San Remo. She has had a career in public administration for 28 years, in a municipality and a ministry.

Maria works freelance as a journalist, PR, communicator, writer, event organizer. She has written books in teams and individually, and has edited several texts and volumes. She is a member of ONAOO and became a Professional Oil Taster at the ONAOO School in 2017.

She is also a chocolate taster in the Lindt panel. For the last six years she has been working in the oil industry as a producer, taster, communicator and event organizer.

Elena Tordi, the daughter of olive oil producers who have not been active since the 90s, represents the fourth generation of a family with a long-standing tradition in the art of olive cultivation. Born in Orvieto, Umbria, she has lived in Milan for over forty years.

As the administrative manager, she is a partner in her husband Daniele Arduino’s family business, “A Nolo Auto 1956”, which specializes in chauffeur services. The company serves prestigious clients, including five-star hotels and embassies from countries such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Since 2013, Elena has been a food writer and food blogger, deeply passionate about the culinary arts.

She is the author of the blog “Lumachella e Panettone”, where she shares stories about food, traditions, and the regions of Italy. Her passion for communication led her to study social media and web strategies at A.C. Academy. Olive oil, which holds deep personal significance for Elena due to its connection with her family’s past, has taken on a new meaning in her professional journey. Embracing the famous quote by the philosopher Socrates, “I know that I know nothing,” she embarked on a continuous path of learning and development in the field. She began reading books and attending conferences dedicated to olive oil, meeting Luigi Caricato, an oleologist, writer, and journalist, who became her guide in the world of olive oil.

In 2019, at the Olio Officina Festival, she discovered the ONAOO (National Organization of Olive Oil Tasters) school, an encounter that marked a significant step in her career. In 2022, she earned the certification in Physiological Suitability for Olive Oil Tasting and continued her studies with an advanced course that ended in 2024 by becoming a professional taster. Since February 2024, Elena has been listed in the national registry of technicians and experts in virgin and extra virgin olive oils, Lombardy section.

Her passion for olive oil and the olive tree has become a symbol of strength, values, and traditions, all of which were passed down to her by her mother Nives and her father Luigi, who instilled in her a deep love for this extraordinary world.