Online Course

online
A real experience to take your first steps in the world of the oil supply cha...

Official Technical Course

23 Mar / 
27 Mar
Imperia
Have a good nose and be a foodie are not sufficient features to become a prof...

Table Olives Course

16 Feb / 
18 Feb
Andria
The ONAOO "Table Olives" course provides a comprehensive introduction to this...
Sarah Wolferstan
( United Kingdom )
Sarah Wolferstan
PHOTO-2025-10-24-09-18-09 2

PROFILO:

As a Cultural Heritage practitioner and environmentalist, I am fascinated by the long-term view of food-making traditions, and the social and economic context of farming, as well as its ethics. Our family groves are in central Sicily, and when my children were young I moved to my husband’s mountain village in central Sicily and fell in love with our olive groves and all that it means to make oil.

It was while I was doing an EU Entrepreneur exchange with an olive oil farm mill and export business in Sicily that I was encouraged to take pruning course and complete my Level 1 Certified Taster course in 2015 with APO Catania, going on to do the advance course with ONAOO in 2025.

 

Nazione:

United Kingdom

Città:

Malmesbury

Webpage:

http://www.alivusicily.com

Sfoglia il profilo di questi altri Iscritti al Registro Internazionale oppure torna all'elenco completo.

Marco Gandolfi

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.

Emanuel Andrietti

Emanuel Andrietti was born in Ventimiglia (IM) on February 1, 1976, and holds a degree in law.

From an early age, he has been engaged in the family-owned olive oil enterprise, which was established by his father in 1945. He has come to recognize the necessity of acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the trade, given his role as the sole heir.

His father, who had him at an advanced age, remains his primary source of guidance and support at the age of 94. Approximately ten years ago, he made the decision to also enter the production side of the business. In collaboration with three colleagues, he acquired an existing olive press in Dolceacqua (IM), which had previously been utilized exclusively for third-party processing.

The press was entirely renovated and transformed into a new, continuously expanding agricultural enterprise that focuses on the cultivation and production of extra virgin olive oil made exclusively from Taggiasca olives.

In 2024, he successfully completed his training at the National Organization of Olive Oil Tasters (ONAOO), earning the title of “Professional Taster.”

Najeeb Yaser

Najeeb is a distinguished banking professional whose expertise extends far beyond the financial sector. While he has achieved significant success in his career, his true passion lies in the art and science of olive oil, a pursuit deeply rooted in his family’s heritage and the rich traditions of Palestine.

Motivated by this connection, he embarked on an educational journey at the ONAOO School, concluding in 2024 with the achievement of a professional taster qualification, marking him as the first from Palestine to achieve such recognition. Originating from the historic town of Birzeit, whose name translates to “olive oil well,” Najeeb grew up immersed in the legacy of olive cultivation.

His family co-owns an olive press in northern Palestine, where they blend generations of knowledge with modern, environmentally sustainable practices to produce exceptional olive oil. Najeeb’s journey reflects the deep, enduring relationship between people, the land, and one of its most revered symbols — the olive tree.

Marina Solinas

Marina has a degree in Food Preparation Sciences. She is currently the Quality Manager at the “Oleificio Pietro Coricelli S.p.A.”.

Marina deals with quality certifications, contacts with customers and consumers. It also deals with the surveillance of the quality of products and processes, the control of incoming oils from a sensorial point of view. She was also Head of Quality Assurance at “Carapelli Firenze” and Quality Manager of “Agnesi Spa” for the production of pasta in the Danone group. Marina has been an ONAOO Professional Taster since 2001.

Marina was the winner in 2015 of “THE GREAT CHALLENGE – THE WORLDWIDE OLIVE OIL TASTERS’ CHALLENGE” at the Milan EXPO. She regularly attends refresher courses organized by ONAOO of which she has also become a member of the Council in 2019.

I do talks and public tastings for a variety of organisations including the UK Italian Trade Agency, FarmEd and prestigious cooking schools such as the Anna Tasca Lanza school in Sicily. I consult for food and olive farming businesses in the UK.

I am looking forward to sharing my experience in the UK, and to continue to learn with my colleagues at ONAOO.

International Register

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Registration in the register is an authentic value, not only added, but fundamental, for the definition of an effective and convincing business profile

This membership opens the door to all the possibilities that the world of oil offers to the tasting professional.

Official Technical Course

The first step into the world of Tasting

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 course is open to everyone, even to those without any experience in the oil sector.

Participants who pass the four selective tests receive a Certificate of Physiological Suitability for Tasting.

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Advanced Course

an in-depth knowledge of sensory analysis

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".

The ONAOO advanced course, aimed at inclusion in the International Register of Professional Tasters

Qualified national and international organizations and companies in the sector draw from the Register to find experts in the sector to include in their entrepreneurial realities

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Table Olives Course

Sensory and Technical Experience Table Olives

Participants learn about varieties, processing, and sensory tasting, with practical exercises under the guidance of experts.

Sensory and Technical Experience Table Olives

Participants learn about varieties, processing, and sensory tasting, with practical exercises under the guidance of experts.

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Online Courses

ONLINE INDIVIDUAL PREPARATORY COURSE FOR OLIVE OIL TASTING.

To learn how to taste an olive oil directly from your home.

An individual lesson with a tasting professional

A real experience to take the first steps in the world of the oil supply chain and oil tasters.

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Certified Tasting Days

ASPIRING OLIVE OIL TASTER

Participants are invited to recognize strengths, weaknesses, qualities and organoleptic characteristics of the various oils

Attestation issued by a Panel Head

A practical test in which everything learned during the technical course is applied in practice.

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Corso Tecnico Ufficiale

Il primo passo nel mondo dell'Assaggio

Un vero esperto dell”oro liquido” si distingue da un semplice amatore in virtù della sua formazione.

Corso Avanzato

un approfondimento del sapere sull’analisi sensoriale

Consente di consolidare e approfondire le conoscenze sull’assaggio degli oli e l'inserimento nel “Registro Internazionale Assaggiatori Professionisti”.

Corsi Online

CORSO ONLINE INDIVIDUALE PROPEDEUTICO ALL’ASSAGGIO DELL'OLIO DI OLIVA.

Per imparare ad assaggiare un olio di oliva direttamente da casa tua.

Sedute di Assaggio Certificate

Attestazione rilasciata da un Capo Panel

Sedute di assaggio certificate, tenute nei modi e nei tempi previsti dalla normativa vigente.

Corso Olive da Tavola

Esperienza Sensoriale e Tecnica Olive da Tavola

Sedute di assaggio certificate, tenute nei modi e nei tempi previsti dalla normativa vigente.