Conferences & Classes

What do you need to know about extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)? That depends. Most people shopping for an EVOO to use at home can taste the oil to see if they like it, consider its best-buy date, classification, and origin, then choose a dark glass bottle or tin they’ll use within 3 months. But professionals who work with EVOOs can benefit from knowing more.

For five days last month, 90 Greek companies exhibited their olive oil at what may be the world’s largest food exhibition, SIAL Paris. Among 7,200 exhibitors, Greek extra virgin olive oils attracted the attention of many of the 310,000 professionals attending the exhibition. Greek olive oil company representatives discussed the expo with Greek Liquid Gold.

Last September, Irini Kokolaki studied Spanish at the University of Jaen for five hours a day. She learned a new language so she could attend a three-month course for certification as an “expert in virgin olive oil tasting,” the world’s only expert level university course focused on sensory analysis that is supported by the International Olive Council.

The annual Food Expo in Athens gathers hundreds of superb Greek extra virgin olive oils (and many other products) under one roof. It is a convenient place for food and beverage businesspeople to taste products and meet with company representatives. It also offers an opportunity to catch up on stories and news from olive oil companies from all over Greece.

In the shadow of a Medieval monastery outside of Barcelona (Món Sant Benet, Catalonia, Spain), a world class team of olive oil experts will convene March 19–23, 2018 to teach an olive oil evaluation course, Tools for the Trade: Tasting, Testing and Understanding Olive Oil.

At a recent seminar in Rethymno, Crete, olive oil tasting panel supervisor and international judge Eleftheria Germanaki discussed Greek successes in olive oil competitions. Agronomist and scientific consultant Ioannis Metzidakis emphasized the importance of accurate knowledge. And award winning Cretan olive oil producers considered their accomplishments.

The 2nd Gourmet Olive and Delicacies Exhibition in Thessaloniki, Greece on May 5, 6 and 7 confirmed for the second consecutive year that Gourmet is an exclusive exhibition. Over three hundred fine foods and natural personal care products from seventy two artisan Greek producers were showcased in a three-day festive Gourmet exhibition.

Scroll down below the article introductions to find lists of Selected Future Events and Selected Past Events, with links to more information about each one.

Please email info@greekliquidgold.com if you have a conference, exposition, meeting, class, or seminar to announce that meets the following criteria:

takes place in or includes English
addresses an international audience
features extra virgin olive oil and/or the Mediterranean diet