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.

Giovanni was born and raised in Caserta. His roots and love for his land led Giovanni to open a modern business at the foot of the Trebulani Mountains in Pontelatone (Caserta). Through path of recovery, protection, and enhancement of the most significant and ancient olive specimens, he encourages the development of marginal areas, fulfilling a remarkable biodiversity defense function.

In 2018, he enrolled in the Official Technical Course of the ONAOO School, passing the selective tests and obtaining the Certificate of Physiological Suitability. In 2019, he decided to pursue a more in-depth training path, enrolling in the Advanced Course. He passed the final exams in 2021 and obtained the ONAOO Professional Taster qualification.

He also participated in various activities organized by the School, including the ONAOO Meeting in 2020 and online tasting sessions.

Marco Gandolfi has been a member of the organization since 1991.

He is particularly interested in oil tasting and has been involved in this area since 1992, when he became a Professional Tasting Member. He has been a member of the ONAOO Official Panel since 2004 and has obtained the qualification of Panel Leader.

By participating annually in refresher courses organized by ONAOO, he has had the opportunity to deepen his knowledge and satisfy his curiosity about the vast world of olive oil. Over the years, he has participated as a judge in important national and international competitions.

I started studying tasting related to olive oil, one of the subjects I worked in 2010, and got the title of Professional Olive Oil Taster at ONAOO, the first international school in Italy and number one in the world. I am still continuing my education. I have organized olive oil tasting trainings with ONAOO, workshops and at the world’s most famous capital cities (Paris, Roma, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Morocco, Tunisia and Istanbul).