Entrepeneur. I have hands-on experience in the extra virgin olive oil sector through sourcing, product selection, and managing the preparation and export of premium olive oil for North American customers. I am involved in overseeing quality standards and logistics to ensure the product meets commercial and regulatory requirements for export.
In addition to olive oil, I have broader experience in business operations, customer relations, and supply chain coordination, including working with shipping partners. I am committed to delivering a consistent, premium customer experience through transparency, traceability, and product integrity.
I am currently working on sourcing and supplying premium extra virgin olive oil for customers, focusing on quality, authenticity, and consistency. Alongside olive oil, I manage business operations including branding, customer service, packaging and international shipping logistics. I am also actively developing partnerships and expanding distribution channels to grow the business and bring high-quality Mediterranean products to a wider market.
O.N.A.O.O. President since 1997.
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.
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.
Marketing
Started technical course in 2023, and graduated in 2025 November in Imperia.
Olive oil is a passion and a profession for me and I look forward to contributing to the global olive oil community.
I began my technical course at ONAOO in September 2022, building a strong foundation in extra virgin olive oil quality standards, and evaluation. In February 2023, I started the ONAOO Professional Tasting Course, further developing my sensory analysis skills and ability to assess EVOO based on official tasting methods. I completed my ONAOO course in November 2025.
Extra virgin olive oil is more than a product to me, it is a symbol of history, culture, and tradition that has been valued for thousands of years across the Mediterranean. From ancient civilizations that used olive oil for food, health, and daily life, to modern producers who preserve traditional methods while improving quality standards, olive oil has always represented purity, resilience, and connection to the land and people.
I am proud to be part of this long heritage by sourcing only exceptional EVOO and promoting oils that are authentic, fresh, and truly representative of their origin. I am committed to continuous learning and to maintaining the highest standards in quality, traceability, and transparency, so customers can experience olive oil the way it was meant to be fresh, healthy, and deeply rooted in history.
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