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.

Margherita Chiaraviglio is from Piedmont. She owns a company called “Frantoio Fresia S.r.l.” with her son, Andrea Fresia.

It is located in Chiusavecchia, in the hinterland of Imperia. She started making olive oil after her marriage.

After her husband died, she kept making olive oil and her passion for it. Margherita took a technical course and then an advanced course from the ONAOO School.

She passed the final exam and got the qualification of Professional Taster of ONAOO in 2023.

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.

Stig has been Senior Brand Manager at Haugen-Gruppen AS, the largest food import company in Norway.

He has worked in the food sector for more than 25 years, in companies such as Nestlé, Mars, and Haugen-Gruppen AS. He started working with olive oil in 2000 when he joined Haugen-Gruppen as a Key Account Manager. He sold olive oil to the main retail chains in Norway. For 15 years he has been a brand manager in the retail sector.

For 3 years he has been a brand manager in the food service sector. In 2015, he took a technical course for olive oil tasters and started training to become a professional taster. He has participated in international meetings for “ONAOO tasters” since 2017.

He has taken part in many olive harvests and presses in Spain, Italy and Greece in the last 12 years to get to know the different “cultures” of olive oil production (from small producers to large ones) and to understand the differences. He has been teaching Norwegians about olive oil by tasting it with managers of big companies, shop managers, journalists, salespeople, and others. He now runs his own company, Lukt, Smak og Nyt (Smell, Taste and Enjoy), teaching consumers how to select and use extra virgin olive oil.