QUALITYolive oil competition

IRINI KOKOLAKI

Irini Kokolaki is an expert virgin olive oil taster, diplomated by the University of Jaen in Spain, certified by the International Olive Oil Council (COI), based in Madrid, Spain. She has attended the course on Panel leaders of virgin olive oil tasters at the national centre of Agriculture Capacity of San Fernando de Henares in Madrid, organized by the Ministry of Spanish Agriculture, and several seminars and courses in Greece, Italy and Spain in the sensory analysis of virgin olive oil, also.    Her passion and love for the olive oil sector lead her to participate as a judge at several International Olive Oil Competitions in the world and to become a member of the Italian women's organization “Pandolea” olive oil friends. With her knowledge and abilities she guides and advises producers and mills to produce extra virgin olive oil under the company "Elia Quality Group". She speaks Greek, English, French, Spanish and Italian.

DAVID NEUMAN

David Neuman has 30 years of specialty and organic executive food management experience in the competitive USA market. The last 15 years devoted to olive oil at the highest quality. Opened his consulting business, EVOOGuy.com and crated his brand of tasting and selling premium olive oil via his mobile Olive Oil truck- where you can find him at food and wine events in Florida. David is an O.N.A.O.O Professional Level 2 Olive Oil taster and attended this famed school in Imperia Italy since 2011 to present.

ELEFTHERIA GERMANAKI

Agronomist, Panel Supervisor and Experienced taster. She is an agronomist with 30 years’ experience in modern cultivation techniques, agricultural sector development and olive oil quality evaluation. Currently she is the Director and Panel Supervisor in the Olive Oil Organoleptic Evaluation Laboratory of AC Rethimnon, in Crete / Greece. The Laboratory is certified under the National System of Accreditation Organoleptic Assessment (ESYD). Furthermore, she is a consultant and trainer for the production and quality assurance of olive oil. Mrs Germanaki is organizing numerous seminars and training courses on olive oil quality, cultivation, extraction and organoleptic characteristics within Greece and abroad.  In addition she is writing related articles in digital and printed media. Eleftheria is participating as experienced and certified judge, in a variety of International Olive Oil Competition in UK, USA, Italy, Israel and Greece. She works closely with the scientific institutions of the island and the local authorities towards the improvement of the olive oil sector. Since 2015, in collaboration with the Prefecture of Crete, she is organizing the Cretan olive oil competition (COOC) inside the facilities of her laboratory.

ALFREDO MARASCIULO

Alfredo Marasciulo, Expert taster and panel leader of tasting committees of the University of Bari and of the Italian Consortium for Organic Products (CIBI), both recognized by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. He collaborates with numerous international competitions and is the Panel Leader of some of the most prestigious competitions held in Italy including the Biol Prize for several years and the Ercole Olivario for the 2021-2022 period. Consultant for the quality improvement of many farms and oil mills.

ALEXIS KERNER

Alexis Kerner, born in Philadelphia, is an expert olive oil taster who has resided in Seville, Spain for almost 20 years. She received her undergrad in Environmental Science from Connecticut College and her title as Expert Olive Oil Taster from the International Olive Council and the University of Jaen in Spain. She also has trained under top Spanish olive oil tasters, Brígida Jiménez and María Paz Aguilera. Every spring, Alexis serves on the international juries for the Ovibeja International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition of Portugal and Terra Olivo in Jerusalem. She has also been recognized as a member of the Associate Savante Registry that demonstrates tasting skill. In 2014, she founded The Olive Oil Workshop, a company that strives to educate buyers at all levels as well as producers of virgin olive oils in order to empower consumers, promote good olive oil, and support producers in a difficult market.

WILMA VAN GRINSVEN – PADBERG

My name is Wilma van Grinsven – Padberg, Dutch, and involved in the olive oil sector since 2007. The moment I learned tasting the passion was born. I finalized the ONAOO school in Italy as an International Professional Taster is 2018 and a year before I did the olive oil sommelier course at the Culinary Center in New York. That was the moment I started to write a book about olive oil and it’s published in four languages: Dutch (of course), German, French and English. Now a days I’m busy giving workshops to consumers but also groups dietitians, people who work in the health sector but I prefer most to give my knowledge to chefs and students chefs. There is still a lack of knowledge to work on.

LISETE OSORIO

International wine and olive oil expert . Wine and olive oil producer- Member FIJEV

GEORGE KOUTELAS

From an early age, George has been active in the family business which primarily has been operating in the trade, the standardization, and the export of olive oil and of the processed oil core. - In 1994 he founds his own business with the main focus on marketing and standardization of olive oil, olives, and fats. - In 1998 he takes over the management of the family business store in the Historical Center of Kalamata and starts selling extra virgin olive oil with tasting sessions, documenting the taste preferences of customers from other countries. - In February 2009, he trains as a Tester of the Virgin Olive Oils for the establishment of a panel test and he becomes one of the founding members of the Taster Committee of the TEI of Kalamata. - In November 2012 he trains in the tasting characteristics of Mediterranean varieties of Olive Oil. - In September 2014 he gets trained as a table olives taster. - -In January 2015, he gets trained in a variety of olive oils and the art of composition. - -In 2017, George creates the 1st private tasting session space for olive oil and table olives in Kalamata, for professionals and consumers. - Since 2018 he has been working as a consultant and mediator with olive oil trading and standardization companies. - George has collaborated with many private and public bodies and organizations for the quality improvement of the Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil and has participated with speech and PowerPoint presentations at several events with for the extra virgin olive oil.

PANAGIOTIS PAPANIKOLOPOULOS

Panagiotis Papanikolopoulos a.k.a. Gastronaftis studied Business Administration but after being a project manager for E.U. programmes and a kitchen furniture designer, he put aside everything for gastronomy, his life-time passion. Being a co-founder of Oliverse.gr, he organizes and gives EVOO & food pairing seminars all over Greece, three years and counting. He is a gastronomic consultant for several food companies, with acknowledged expertise in pairing foods with different olive oil varieties, that he has been dedicated to showcase. He is a certified olive oil taster, active member of an IOC recognized sensory laboratory. His moto is… “Extra virgin olive oil is an exceptional condiment, all by itself”

EFSTRATIA KOUZOUMI

Head of Mytilene Olive Oil Laboratory, Olive Institute, Subtropical Plants and Vine- ELGO DIMITRA. Panel supervizor, accredited by the NSS, an organoleptic group for virgin olive oil. Judge of international quality olive oil competitions since 2016.

ANITA ZACHOU

Anita Zachou from Greece is an agricultural engineer, professional olive oil taster, technical consultant of olive oil production, gastronomic educator of culinary professionals, holistic wellness coach, writer & trainer. She became a professional Olive Oil Taster in 2012. Later on, she was granted a scholarship by the International Olive Council to attend the olive oil tasting course at the University of Jaen in Spain, from which she holds the title of Expert in Virgin Olive Oil Tasting. She is the founder of Mykonos Olive Oil Tasting, an educational company based in Mykonos island in Greece, delivering seminars & workshops on Olive Oil Tasting, Mediterranean Diet, Holistic Health & Wellness to visitors but also consumers, kids and culinary professionals. She is an Ordinary Member of ONAOO.

CHANIA CHAGAS

Chania Chagas, Entrepreneur. She is Expert in Olive Oil Tasting with more than 6 years of experience in the sector. Owner of an Olive Oil Importer and Distributor Company in Brazil and the first olive oil boutique store – Empório do Azeite

EMMANOUIL KARPADAKIS

Olive Oil is life, Quality Excellence in Extra Virgin is art and passion. Born on the island of Crete in Greece, he has studied and worked as an aircraft engineer and in the international relations field for several years. For the last 15 years, he is working in the olive oil sector as a professional in the olive mill technology, quality olive oil extraction, sustainable cultivation, and international marketing. Trained by IOC instructors, today he is a member of the certified panel of tasters in the olive oil sensory evaluation lab of ACR, in Crete and he has experience as a judge in International Olive Oil Competitions. Being an expert in his field with recognized knowledge and experience, he has present olive oil-related subjects, in International fairs and events, as an invited speaker  (IOC summit, FHC summit, HORECA forum, etc).