Pio Maria Costa, a lifelong olive oil enthusiast, was born in Genoa in 1966 and is married with two children. He holds a high school diploma in Accounting and a degree in Political Science, majoring in International Studies, from the University of Genoa with a final grade of 106/110.
His great-great-grandfather, Giacomo, founded “Costa” olive oil, which later became “Olio Dante,” one of the first olive oils to be exported worldwide, establishing its guidelines. The oil remained family-owned until the 1990s.
In 1992, he founded “Lorenzo Costa fu Eugenio srl,” and remains its sole director. The company specializes in home delivery of extra virgin olive oil and other high-quality food products, and directly manages the purchasing of raw materials. He is an expert in Master Blending and quality control. In 1996, he became a certified ONAOO Professional Taster and has been Panel Leader since 2000. Since 1998, he has been a member of the official Test Panel of the Genoa Chamber of Commerce and since 2001, Deputy Panel Leader. Since 2022, he has been an official judge on the Commodity Exchange deputation of the Genoa Chamber of Commerce. From 2006 to 2023, he was a member of the ONAOO Board of Directors. He has also participated in competitions organized by ONAOO, such as the DEGUSTATORE DELL’ANNO and WORLDWIDE OLIVE OIL TASTER’ CHALLENGE. He has participated, and continues to participate, as a judge in various national and international olive oil competitions and in the world mortar and pesto championship in Genoa. He also occasionally promotes extra virgin olive oil tasting for restaurateurs and enthusiasts.
Born in Verona in 1983, he grew up in the Mezzane Valley and considers himself a citizen of the world. In life he is a computer engineer with many years of experience in the field.
Occasional walks among the olive trees help him to relax his body and mind. In 2021 he approaches O.N.A.O. to start a new educational path.
His studies end in March 2024 with an exam that certifies him as an O.N.A.O.O. Professional Taster.
Alessandra has been studies in ONAOO since 2020. After the official technical course, which released her the Certificate of Physiological Suitability for tasting, and after the certified tasting session, she has been subscribed in the “The National Register of Technicians and Experts of Virgin and Extra Virgin Olive Oils” of Region Liguria since 2022.
In 2023, passing the exam of the 2-year advanced course, she obtained the qualification of ONAOO Professional Taster and she is in the International Register of Professional Tasters.
“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.
Patrick J. O’Brien is Travel Director for Table Six Travel, a US company launched in 2019 to organize small group gastronomic tours originally focused on regions producing olives, extra virgin olive oils, cheeses, cured meats and balsamic vinegars and related culinary specialties across Italy supporting his wife’s US company, FIORE Olive Oils. In 2025, with the sale of FIORE after 15 years to a longtime staffer, Patrick continues as a Marketing Consultant and Import Coordinator for FIORE while expanding the scope of travel with Table Six to Greece, Ireland and beyond.
Patrick received certification as a Professional Taster of ONAOO in March 2019. Having earned Irish citizenship in 2022, Patrick and his wife reside permanently in The Republic of Ireland. In June 2025 Table Six Travel received registration in Ireland, Table Six Travel, LTD,
He was born in Genoa in 1966. In 1992, he founded the company “Lorenzo Costa fu Eugenio 1860”, of which he still is the administrator. The company deals with door-to-door sales of extra-virgin olive oil and other food products. In 1996, he was granted the certificate of Professional ONAOO taster.
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