All branded olive oils are eligible for participation for the best quality award. The products to be evaluated must be in the appropriate condition for testing and their distinctive information must be written out correctly and clearly on the label, i.e. they must be products ready to be sold to the consumer public.
a) To inform olive-growers, oil producers, oil-pressers, processors and retailers, who distribute their standardized products legally, to preserve and to ameliorate the quality of their branded product by promoting high-quality olive oil in every aspect of the spectrum of its use and consumption.
b) The promotion of the knowledge of the particular value and of the healthy/nutritional aspects of olive oil to new consumers of young age (schools), to professional pastry chefs, artisans, with emphasis to gastronomy & culinary art schools and to restaurants.
c) The promotion of the diversity of varieties and of the high quality of olive oils produced with the aim of advancing the knowledge of their tasting differences.
London Olive Oil Awards offer a key way to refine your goals for the year and bring benefits including increased exposure as well as networking. Each award entry needs to be treated as a bespoke marketing campaign.
LIOOC an excellent opportunity to assess where the business currently is, what has recently been achieved and how challenges have been addressed and overcome.
Assistant Professor in Food -Agriculture, Ministry of agriculture and Water Resources. Institution of Agricultural Research and Higher Education.
Olive Oil is life, and 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 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 presented olive oil-related subjects, at International fairs and events, as invited speaker (IOC summit, FHC summit, HORECA forum etc).
Graduated in Biological Sciences from the University of Granada and PhD in Chemical Sciences from the University of Jaén. With more than 20 years of experience in the process of making Extra Virgin Olive Oil. She has been Panel Leader and Responsible for Experimental Cooking with Olive Oil at Citoliva for the last 8 years. now I continue to be a taster on this panel. In August 2019, he joined the Superior Facultative Body of the Junta de Andalucía as a Specialist Technician in the Food and Health Area of IFAPA (Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development). The main lines of research have been related to the differentiated quality of EVOO and the improvement of the lipid profile after its incorporation into the food chain. More than 34 publications in both impactful and informative magazines. Member of the jury in various national and international fairs and competitions, she has participated in the EVOOLEUM and Iberoleum guides since their first edition. Co-author of several books related to the world of the olive grove and organoleptic evaluation, where it stands out: Manual of Tasting and Pairing of olive oil
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 in 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. Nowadays I’m busy giving workshops to consumers but also groups of dietitians, and 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.
Panagiotis Papanikolopoulos a.k.a. Gastronaftis studied Business Administration but after being a project manager for E.U. programs and a kitchen furniture designer, he put aside everything for gastronomy, his lifetime 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 showcasing. He is a certified olive oil taster, active member of an IOC recognized sensory laboratory. His motto is… “Extra virgin olive oil is an exceptional condiment, all by itself”
Sarah's loves the international culture that is intrinsic to the olive oil world. With British and Maltese-Egyptian roots, she was born in Canada, grew up in Hawaii and has lived in the UK, Chile, Italy and France. Research for her degrees in Archaeology & Anthropology (Cambridge) and Cultural Heritage (UCL) introduced her to many cultural and culinary traditions around the world not least of which the rich food traditions of Sicily; where she met her husband, Paolo, on a training excavation in Sicily in 1998. She still works in archaeology, organising public engagement projects for Archaeology South-East, UCL. Her love for olive oil began when she got involved with caring for her family's olive groves, learning to plant, prune, and taste. In 2015, Sarah co-founded Alivu with her husband, to bring their olive oil to the UK. In 2025, she completed ONAOO's advanced training course to become a professional olive oil taster. She runs tasting workshops in the UK and collaborates with Anna Tasca Lanza's Cook the Farm Sicilian cooking experience. As a Cultural Heritage expert Sarah loves sharing the stories behind olive oil, highlighting the unique relationship between land, climate, and the long-term traditions of food-making, highlighting farming's social, environmental and ethical impact.
Giandomenico Scanu is an oleologist and technician expert in olive growing and fruit growing, oil and table olives. He works at AGRIS Sardegna, Agricultural Research Agency of Sardinia. Since 1993 he has been a professional taster trained at O.N.A.O.O. and since 1995 a panel leader. He was a member of the panel leaders committee in Madrid at the International Olive Council and is a member of the panel of the public control authority of the Sardinia Region. He is a panel leader and sensory analyst for fruit. He is a member of the national panel of the Monna Oliva competition for table olives. In the oil sector he has attended various training courses at the National Academy of the Olive in Spoleto, the Experimental Institute for Olive Oil Technology in Pescara and the Experimental Institute for Olive Growing in Cosenza. He is a member of numerous national and international juries for extra virgin olive oil competitions; overall he annually evaluates abaut 1000 oil samples between experimental, certification and oil competition activities. He attended training courses at Accredia for control activities in agri-food systems, for the inspection and certification of agri-food production. Teacher in training courses for the sensory analysis of olive oil; he gives lessons to university students, agricultural and hotel technical institutes, primary and secondary schools. Among the students there are children, final year students, farmers, entrepreneurs, chefs, measurers, traders, consumers. Since 2007 he has been an inspector for the DOP extra virgin olive oil of Sardinia as well as a member of the sensory analysis panel at the public control body AGRIS. He has participated in numerous courses on the sensory analysis of cheese, coffee, beer, artichokes, bread and desserts. Since 2017, within his Agency, he has been the panel leader for fruit.
Vivian van Wordragen is a certified olive oil expert from the Netherlands, with a specialization in sensory analysis. Her journey to expertise culminated in 2020 when she graduated best in class as a Professional Olive Oil Taster from the Organizzazione Nazionale Assaggiatori Olio di Oliva (ONAOO), the oldest institution dedicated to olive oil tasting in Italy. With nearly 20 years of profound experience in the global olive oil industry, Vivian has held pivotal roles such as product manager, senior buyer and category manager for several renowned international retail brands. In 2017, she founded her own company, Via Viv (www.viaviv.nl). As an entrepreneur and expert Vivian is fully devoted to promote high-quality extra virgin olive oil. She imports her own premium brand and focuses on her mission to educate buyers, chefs and other key decision-makers on how to appreciate and select high-quality olive oil through tailored masterclasses, consultations and tasting workshops. As a member of the Leadership team she contributes to the global organization "Women in Olive Oil", which aims for the individual and societal advancement of women through the common link of olive oil. Vivian has gained international recognition as a panel judge in the most prestigious international olive oil competitions. She speaks Dutch, English, German and Spanish fluently.
Anita Zachou from Greece is an Agricultural Engineer, Expert Olive Oil Taster, Olive Oil Quality Assurance Consultant, Gastronomic Educator to Culinary Professionals, Olive Oil Tourism Expert, Holistic Wellness Coach, Writer & Trainer. She took her first certification as an 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 & consulting company based in Mykonos island, delivering seminars & workshops on Olive Oil Tasting, Olive Oil Gastronomy, Mediterranean Diet, Holistic Health & Wellness to visitors but also consumers, kids and culinary professionals. She is an Ordinary Member of ONAOO.
Chania Chagas, Entrepreneur. She is an 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.
Dr.Prof. Imene Trabelsi Trigui, University of SFax , Tunisia (PhD from Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs des Travaux Agricoles - Clermont Ferrand, France) is a Full Professor in Marketing at University of Sfax-TUNISIA Specialized in Olive Oil and Agrifood Quality & Marketing. She is certified in sensory analysis of Olive Oil from Olive Oil School of Spain (ESAO) and Honey (University of Bologna, Italy). She is the Vice Executive President of Women in Olive Oil international Organisation. She is an international expert & Consultant at INNOVIC Trading & Consulting Company. She is involved in many international Olive Oil & Honey Competitions as a Panel judge. She is accompanying and assisting different companies in developing their branding and Marketing design strategies, promoting their international positioning through innovative and Digital Marketing tools, and assisting them in producing high-quality food products in accordance with international norms and standards.
Claudio Vignoli is an Italian Oleologist and Master Miller with over 25 years of experience in the olive oil industry. From 1996 until the end of 2007, he worked as an Export Sales Manager for the world's leading manufacturer of olive oil mills. In 2007, he founded his own company, Claudio Vignoli Group, providing technical and marketing consultancy to olive oil producers around the world.
Claudio Vignoli also provides his expertise in the olive oil industry to two multinational consulting firms: GLG, Gerson Lehrman Group, and GUIDEPOINT GLOBAL LLC. In 2015, he founded a bottling company in the U.S. called Miami Olive Oil & Beyond LLC, which imports bulk EVOO from the Mediterranean and bottles in Miami, FL, for the retail and food service industry. With this company, he produces the private label of several major U.S. distribution companies, cruise lines, hotel, and restaurant chains. His mission is to educate buyers, chefs, and other industry professionals to understand, appreciate, and select high-quality olive oils through in-store demos, tasting classes, workshops, etc. He is also an independent advisor for several brands in Australia, California, Uruguay, Spain, and Italy. In 2022, he founded a brand that bears his name, Vignoli Food, which produces premium quality EVOOs and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.
He has been a member of O.L.E.A. (Association of Olive Oil Experts and Tasters) since 2017. He is often involved as a keynote speaker, jury member in international olive oil competitions, and presenter at industry events in Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru. He is also a regular member of the jury at CIOOC- Canada International Olive Oil Competition, LIOOC- London International Olive Oil Competition, and GIOOC, Global International Olive Oil Competitions
For 25 years Ray has been perfecting the organic olive growing, milling, and oil blending techniques on his wife's 400yr old plantation in the Alcantara Valley, Sicily. He is an officially certified olive oil sommelier.
Demetris Taliotis is the Chief Olive Oil Obsessive at Aparthenasa, an agrocraft estate focusing on the production of terroir-driven, extra virgin olive oil from Cyprus. He is a graduate of the prestigious Expert Course in Virgin Olive Oil Tasting of the University of Jaén and a member of O.N.A.O.O. His varied involvement with olive oil also spans a multifarious career in agri-food and FMCG marketing, farm and rural management, and expansive research interests at the cross-sections of agronomic innovation, organoleptic variability, and the cultural and creative industries.
I've been obsessed with olive oil since I was a child. Even if I tried, I couldn't tell you why. Growing up in the Mediterranean, olive oil was an integral part of my life. Upon moving to the UK, I realized that most people do not have access to the good stuff, so I began working with producers across the Mediterranean to source delicious liquid gold. Every country has something special to offer, and the industry has come a long way in the last few years…but we still have a long way to go. As an olive oil sommelier, and entrepreneur, I am dedicated to bringing you the best, and contributing to the growth of the olive oil industry's renaissance.
I'm Marije Passos (short) 39 years old and mother of 2 and 3000 olive trees. Although I'm Dutch and olive tree growing is not in my blood but I have found my passion. My experience comes from education but mostly trial and error. Knowing your own land and trees is key to making amazing extra virgin olive oil. From bottle design to farm management and sales I am doing it as that what it takes to survive this industry as a small grower. There are many misunderstandings in the market and fraud unfortunately is also still very visible. My mission is telling people the real story of olive oil. With my brand and farm Passeite where we do tours and tastings and my separate platform Evoosommelier I accomplish just that.
Catherine Fogel has a multicultural background. Born in Casablanca Morocco, raised in the Canary Islands, and lives in Denmark. She speaks 9 languages and has been in the Culinary and Olive Oil world for the past 20 Years. Has a diploma as a professional taster and panel leader from ONAOO Italy. Judges many competitions worldwide both in food, culinary events, and competitions. She teaches about taste and food in Culinary Schools, chef conferences, and for consumers.
The registration deadline is 30 April 2021.
