Manuela was born in Genoa but spent her entire childhood in Imperia. Currently, she splits her time between Imperia, Shanghai, and Bangkok.
Manuela represents the fourth generation of can makers and is involved in the Guatelli Museum. The museum collects the Family Collection of Italian Olive Oil Cans, which includes over 6,000 pieces of olive oil cans and lithographic stones. This collection is an important testimony to the flourishing industry related to the oil trade that developed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In 2006, Manuela moved to Asia with her husband and four sons.
Despite the distance, Manuela has not forgotten her roots. She promotes the prestige of extra virgin olive oil and the history and flavors of Mediterranean cuisine beyond national borders by organizing Italian cooking classes, on-demand chefs, and catering. Her passion for extra virgin olive oil stems from her family, as her father dedicated his life to producing oil cans. Every week, my father would cross Europe to sell his cans. He would return home on weekends with fascinating stories and anecdotes about the oil industry.
His global view of the market allowed him to understand even the smallest nuances, which inspired me to pursue a career in this wonderful world. In 2024, I finally fulfilled my passion by attending the ONAOO course and becoming a Professional Taster. Manuela collaborates with several Italian associations abroad to promote the history, culture, and art of extra virgin olive oil tasting worldwide.
