Beyond Extra Virgin IV Verona by Olive Oil Times

BEV IV

beyond extra virgin An International Conference on Olive Oil Flavor and Excellence

Verona, Palazzo Giusti, September 20-22, 2010

BEV IV

Three keywords Tre parole chiave The conference Beyond Extra Virgin IV proposes to the olive oil world three ideas, which at the same time are three projects and three cultural challenges:

Singularity To producers, we propose a goal of excellence as defined by the 3E model, and by a search for a unique sensory style that aims to represent biodiversity and become tradition.

Variety

La conferenza Beyond Extra Virgin IV propone al mondo degli oli di oliva di grande qualità tre idee che sono anche tre progetti e tre sfide culturali:

Unicità Ai produttori proponiamo un obiettivo di eccellenza basato sul modello 3E e sulla ricerca di uno stile sensoriale individuale ed unico con l’ambizione di rappresentare al meglio la biodiversità dell’olivo e uno stile, una “tradizione”.

Varietà

To Chefs we propose a goal of excellence defined as a search for combinations of olive oils of different sensory profiles together with various foods, to create new dishes and new sensory experiences.

Agli Chef proponiamo un obiettivo di eccellenza basato sulla ricerca di combinazioni degli oli di oliva che hanno diversi profili e stili sensoriali con diversi alimenti per creare nuovi piatti e stimolare esperienze sensoriali nuove.

Connectivity

Collaborazione

To the producers of 3E SuperPremium Selection olive oils and to the Chefs who use them, we propose an international network of 3E associates through which to share their commitment to excellence.

beyond extra virgin An International Conference on Olive Oil Flavor and Excellence

Ai produttori e agli Chef proponiamo di entrare in un network internazionale per condividere gli obiettivi e l’impegno per l’eccellenza.

www.veneto.to

Monday, 20

September

2:30pm 4:00pm

Check-in and welcome of participants General session - Opening of the Conference Greetings of the Authorities Association 3E, The Veneto Region, UC Davis Olive Center, The Culinary Institute of America, The Academy of Georgofili

4:30pm

Opening Presentation The Super-Premium Olive Oil Experience: Developing a Culture of Flavor Discovery Presenter: Greg Drescher (Culinary Institute of America, CIA, Napa Valley) Culinary Demonstration/Tasting Bitterness, Fruitiness and Pungency: Animating Great Olive Oils on the Palate Presenter: Bill Briwa (CIA, Napa Valley)

5:30pm 6:30pm

Conference Schedule 8:30pm

Welcome cocktail party Welcome Concert The Music of Sensory Notes: Amaro, Fruttato, Piccante Musicians: Luca di Volo (composer, conductor, poly-instrumentalist, Florence) Eleonora Tassinari (poly-instrumentalist, Florence) Gloria Merani (violin, Florence) Emanuele Parrini (violin, viola, Florence) Filippo Burchietti (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cello, Florence) Nicola Vernuccio (double-bass, Florence) End of the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program

Tuesday, 21

9:00am

Presentation and discussion: Managing the Critical Points of Sensory Quality in the Agronomic Process Presenter: Paolo Inglese (University of Palermo)

General session I - Sensory Science and Olive Oil Excellence Chairperson: Franco Scaramuzzi (President of the Academy of Georgofili, Florence) Presentation and discussion: The Untapped World of Olive Oil Sensory Properties: diversity, measurement and communication Presenter: Jean Xavier Guinard (UC Davis, California)

4:30pm 5:00pm

Presentation and discussion: From Sensory Characteristics to Sensory Functionality of Super-Premium Olive Oil Presenter: Erminio Monteleone (University of Florence)

10:30am 11:00am 11:30am

1:00

2:30pm

Presentation A Big Leap from Insignificance to Excellence through Technological Innovation: The Pantelleria case Presenter: Lamberto Baccioni (Agrivision, Florence)

Coffee break

Presentation Control of Bitterness: The Successful Case of Coratina Presenter: Alessandro Leone (University of Foggia)

General Session III - Round Table on Sensory Excellence and the Language Problem

Lunch offered by Region Apulia featuring tasting stations with a variety of food and olive oil pairings and Flavors of Apulia presented by Renato Morisco (Chef, Villa Morisco, Bari). Guido Guidi catering service General Session IV - Genetics and Agronomy: the Biological Determinants of the Sensory Profile Chairperson: Dan Flynn (UC Davis Olive Center) Presentation and discussion: Olive Genetic Resources: a Legacy of Diversity for Virgin Olive Oil Presenter: Luis Rallo Romero (University of Cordoba) Presentation and discussion: A New World Perspective in Selecting Cultivars for Oil Sensory Quality Presenter: Paul Vossen (UC Cooperative Extension, California) Presentation and discussion: Sicily: A Paradigm of the Link Between Varietal Biodiversity and Olive Oil Sensory Peculiarities Presenter: Tiziano Caruso (University of Palermo)

General Session V - The Milling-Storage-Bottling Process: technological Determinants of the Sensory Profile Chairperson: Claudio Peri (Association 3E, Milano) Presentation Control of Pungency and Bitterness in the Processing of Virgin Olive Oil Presenter: Maurizio Servili (University of Perugia)

General Session II - Rediscovering Olive Oil in the 21st Century Speaker: Harold McGee (Food Writer, San Francisco)

Chairperson: Alexandra Devarenne (Association 3E, California) Panelists: Erminio Monteleone (University of Florence) Jean Xavier Guinard (UC Davis, California) Nancy Harmon Jenkins (Food Writer, Cortona, Italy, and Camden, Maine) Harold McGee (Food Writer, San Francisco) Rosa Vañó (Castillo de Canena, Andalusia) Aris Kefalogiannis (Gaea Products S.A., Greece) Greg Drescher (CIA, Napa Valley) Paolo Pasquali (Oleoteca Villa Campestri, Florence) Tom Mueller (Journalist, Liguria, Italy)

Coffee break

Presentation The Influence of the Ripening Process in the Sensory Profile of Olive Oil Presenter: Brígida Jiménez Herrera (IFAPA de Cabra, Córdoba) Presentation The Fragility of Unusual Flavor Notes: The Case of the “Citrus” Flavor in a Grignano Super-Premium Olive Oil Presenter: Massimo Ferasin and Benedetto Ruperti (University of Padua)

6:30pm 8:00pm

End of the day’s program Official Dinner and Flavors of Veneto presented by Domenico Longo (Chef, Casa Coste, Treviso). Guido Guidi catering service

Wednesday, 22

9:00am

General Session VI / Tasting Super-Premium Olive Oil and the Culinary Arts: Strategies for Delighting the Customer Chairperson: Greg Drescher (CIA, Napa Valley)

2:30pm

Introductory Presentation: Approaches to Leveraging the Entire Sensory Matrix of Super-Premium Olive Oil in Menu Development, Cooking and Presentation Olive Oil Excellence on a Plate: Variations on a Theme

3:45pm

a. Culinary and Customer Insights from the Villa Campestri Pioneering Experience Presenters: Paolo Pasquali (Oleoteca Villa Campestri, Florence) Roberto Zanieri (Oleoteca Villa Campestri, Florence) b. The Chef, the Customer and the Olive Oil: Balancing Concerns about Complexity and “Completeness” Presenter: Bill Briwa (CIA, Napa Valley) Panel Discussion Panelists: Nancy Harmon Jenkins (Food Writer, Cortona, Italy, and Camden, Maine) Erminio Monteleone (University of Florence) Alexandra Devarenne (Association 3E, California) Harold McGee (Food Writer, San Francisco) Paul Bartolotta (Chef, Las Vegas)

10:30am 11:00am 11:30am

Coffee break General Session VII - FBP (Fruitiness, Bitterness, Pungency) on the American Table: Transforming Taste Speaker: Nancy Harmon Jenkins (Food Writer, Cortona, Italy, and Camden, Maine) General Session VIII/Tasting Tapas, Meze and Antipasti: Olive Oil Diversity and the Spirit of Flavor Adventure Chairperson: Nancy Harmon Jenkins (Food Writer, Cortona, Italy, and Camden, Maine) Presenters: María José San Román (Chef, Alicante) Paul Bartolotta (Chef, Las Vegas) Christoforos Peskias (Chef, Athens) Discussant: Rosa Vañó (Castillo de Canena, Andalusia)

1:00pm

4:15pm 4:45pm

Lunch offered by Region Sicily featuring tasting stations with a variety of food and olive oil pairings and Flavors of Sicily presented by Giuseppe Giuffrè (Chef Peppe Giuffrè, the “Peppe Giuffrè srl”, Trapani). Guido Guidi catering service

5:30pm 5:45pm 6:00pm 6:45pm

General Session IX/Tasting Seafood, Produce and Super-Premium Olive Oil: Leveraging Flavor in the Healthy Mediterranean Diet Chairperson/ Presenter: Bill Briwa (CIA) Presenters: María José San Román (Chef, Alicante) Paul Bartolotta (Chef, Las Vegas) Christoforos Peskias (Chef, Athens) Discussant: Aris Kefalogiannis (Gaea Products S.A., Greece) General session X/Tasting Chocolate, Sweets and Super-Premium Olive Oil: Unexpected Pleasure Chairperson/ Presenter: Bill Briwa (CIA, Napa Valley) Panel Discussion Panelists: Nancy Harmon Jenkins (Food Writer, Cortona, Italy, and Camden, Maine) Jean Xavier Guinard (UC Davis, California) María José San Román (Chef, Alicante) Paul Bartolotta (Chef, Las Vegas) Christoforos Peskias (Chef, Athens) Roberto Zanieri (Chef, Oleoteca Villa Campestri, Florence) Coffee Break Forum: Beyond the Noise and Confusion: Growing the Culture of Super-Premium Olive Oil Among Chefs, Their Customers and Home Cooks Chairperson: Greg Drescher (CIA, Napa Valley) Panelists: Dan Flynn (UC Davis Olive Center) María José San Román (Chef, Alicante) Paul Bartolotta (Chef, Las Vegas) Christoforos Peskias (Chef, Athens) Nancy Harmon Jenkins (Food Writer, Cortona, Italy, and Camden, Maine) Erminio Monteleone (University of Florence) Alexandra Devarenne (Association 3E California) Harold McGee (Food Writer, San Francisco) Bill Briwa (CIA, Napa Valley) Jean Xavier Guinard (UC Davis, California) Paolo Pasquali (Oleoteca Villa Campestri, Florence) Tom Mueller (Journalist, Liguria, Italy) Final Thoughts by Claudio Peri (Association 3E, Milano) The Learning Environment: Enhancing our Approaches to Continual Improvement Presentation of Spain’s candidature for BEV V Presenter: Pedro Barato Triguero (President of Olive Oil from Spain Interprofesional Organization) Farewell Party End of the Conference

September

Speakers Lamberto Baccioni is a Food Science and Technology graduate of the university of Milan (1974) with a thesis work on membrane treatment of distillery wastes. Since then, Lamberto has constantly worked on themes related to food processing and food unit operations. As manager of the Alfa Laval Business Unit Olive Oil he has covered a worldwide responsibility in the entire spectrum of olive oil applications: R&D, Sales Service, Production & Assembly, Promotion, Training. He has coordinated applied research projects in olive oil processing, especially the malaxing and the centrifugal decanting operations. He has pioneered the application of pitting as an alternative to traditional crushing of olives. He is co-founder and CEO of AGRIVISION (2010), a company supplying tailor made design of olive oil plants and offering training courses for olive oil producers committed to excellence. (Florence, Italy)

Speakers Lamberto Baccioni Paul Bartolotta Bill Briwa Tiziano Caruso Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne Luca Di Volo Greg Drescher Massimo Ferasin Dan Flynn Giuseppe Giuffrè Jean-Xavier Guinard Brígida Jiménez Herrera Paolo Inglese Nancy Harmon Jenkins Aris Kefalogiannis Alessandro Leone Domenico Longo

Harold McGee Erminio Monteleone Renato Morisco Tom Mueller Paolo Pasquali Claudio Peri Christoforos Peskias Luis Rallo Romero Benedetto Ruperti Maria José San Román Franco Scaramuzzi Maurizio Servili Pedro Barato Triguero Rosa Vañó Paul Vossen Roberto Francesco Zanieri “Jerry”

Paul Bartolotta is the chef of “Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare” at the Wynn Las Vegas, which showcases some of the Mediterranean’s best seafood. Each week, the restaurant imports 1½ tons of seafood from cities that lie along the coast of the Mediterranean. Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare was nominated for the 2006 James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant Award. Chef Bartolotta is one of just a few chefs outside of Italy who is recognized as an “authentic ambassador” of Italian cuisine. In 1997, he earned the prestigious Insegna del Ristorante Italiano del Mondo, an award that was personally presented to him by Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. Chef Bartolotta developed his culinary style in some of Europe’s most distinguished restaurants. Previously, he was chef and managing partner at Chicago’s Spiaggia where, under his direction from 1991 to 2000, the restaurant earned every major national fine dining award, including four-star ratings from both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago magazine. This was the first time an Italian chef was awarded four stars in any major U.S.market. With his brother, Joe, he also co-founded the Bartolotta Restaurants in their hometown of Milwaukee: Bacchus-a Bartolotta Restaurant; Ristorante Bartolotta; Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro; and Mr. B’s, a Bartolotta Steakhouse. In 1994, Chef Bartolotta became the first Italian chef to win the coveted James Beard Award for Best Chef, Midwest, and in 2009 he received a second James Beard Award for Best Chef, Southwest. (Las Vegas, NV) Bill Briwa, CEC, CHE, is a 1980 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, where he has taught cooking for the last 15 years. He has held a number of culinary positions as chef, having also worked as a pastry chef and a bread baker. Career highlights include working at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry, operating his own Napa Valley café, working as executive chef at the CIA’s Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant and as resident-chef at the Hess Collection Winery. Bill is an active supporter of farmers markets. He served on the board of the local farmers market and was the culinary chair of the Napa Valley Wine Auction in 2003, which raised nearly 7 million dollars for local charities. His work at the CIA includes consulting for corporate clients, developing curriculum and teaching on subjects a diverse as Wine and Food Pairing, Buffet Presentation, Global Flavors, Farm to Table Dining and Gastronomy. He has been a featured presenter at many conferences including previous Beyond Extra Virgin conferences. His writing on food and wine has appeared locally and in the periodicals Sunset and Fine Cooking as well as in the trade journal Flavor and the Menu. Bill has traveled to Asia, Latin America, Europe and around the Mediterranean to teach and to learn about cooking. For the last 30 years he has made his home in Northern California’s Napa Valley where many times he has tried his hand at making olive oil from the local fruit. (Napa Valley, California)

Speakers

Tiziano Caruso is professor of Pomology at the University of Palermo where he has been the director of the Departmentr of Plant Science. He has held the same chair at the universities of Reggio Calabria and Naples. He teaches courses in Oliviculture, Pomology and Fruit Tree Nursery Management. He has been cootdinator of research projects including a project on “Dwarfing Rootstocks for Olive Tree” (the Italian Ministry of University and Research) and a project on “Minor Fruit Trees” of the European Union. Professor Caruso participates in international cooperation activities, is advisor in the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) concerning the under-utilized Mediterranean species and advisor of the World Laboratory of Geneva for the development of fruitculture in China. (Palermo, Italy)

Luca di Volo is dedicated to problems related to an ergonomic approach of the body, voice and instrument in music and theatre. In collaboration with Alessandro Mendini and for the Alessi company, he invented a saxophone prototype with a unique anatomically perfected mechanism. The Instrument, called the Alexophone, went into production in a limited edition made by hand by Roberto Zolla and came on the market in 1993. In 2008, Luca has designed a Tromba Degli Angeli, which was hand-made by the famous violin maker Jamie Marie Lazzara in Florence. (Florence, Italy)

Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne is an independent olive oil consultant and educator. She participated in olive oil research with the UC Cooperative Extension, is a trained olive oil taster and participates in olive oil sensory analysis for research and as a judge for many competitions. She teaches olive oil production, processing and evaluation. She is the coauthor of many papers and publications, including two chapters of the Organic Olive Production Manual, and as a freelance writer she has been publishing in Popular Farming and Hobby Farms magazines. She writes and design a wide range of print materials and creates blends for olive oil clients. Alexandra is a member of the advisory board of the UC Davis Olive Center and serves as the California coordinator for Association 3E. In this role, she has participated in the definition of the rules and standards of the 3E Super-Premium Selection Procedure. (Davis, California) Luca di Volo divides his time between concert activity, research, and experimentation in the field of ethnic music, folk and jazz. He plays Saxophone, Clarinet, Bowed Instruments (including a 1/2 size violin and a 6-string cello) and flute. As a soloist on the saxophone he has performed with the most prestigious Italian orchestras. He was recently invited as composer, musician and performer in the Faschings Fest of the Opera of Vienna, the Baltischij Dom Theater of St. Petersburg in Russia, the Machiavelli of Markus Kupferblum in Austria. He was commissioned by the Volksoper Theater of Vienna to write the music for a ballet opera called “Sinflut”, in collaboration with Uri Cane. He wrote for The Orchestra della Toscana the music score for the show: “Klezmer, cronache di viaggi musicali”. He was commissioned by the Toscana Music Pool the music score for a project called “Algerian Dream” which was a composition for voice and 12 instruments; a synthesis between Arab and western culture. He was commissioned by the Association “Un Tempio per la Pace”, a music score for chorus and orchestra touching common themes of Christian, Islamic, and Jewish religions. The show went on scene at the Teatro Verdi in Florence, in 1999. A Recording of this project was made; the CD is called: “Grung- Strumenti di Pace”. The French magazine “Trad” awarded this CD the prize called “Bravo” in 2006. He founded the quartet called Leggende Italiane experimenting and performing a synthesis of Italian folk and “upper class” music. As a Teacher, Luca di Volo has taught at the Music Conservatory L. Cherubini in Florence, the University of Bologna, the “ Scuola di Musica di Fiesole”, in Florence, where Luca was the Head of the Department of Wind Instruments for over 20 years.

GREG DRESCHER, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), oversees the college’s leadership initiatives for the foodservice industry, including conferences, leadership retreats, and new media. He is the creator of the college’s influential Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival (now in its 13th year), the annual Worlds of Healthy Flavors Leadership Retreat presented in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health, as well as other CIA “think tank” initiatives. In 2005, Mr. Drescher was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America, in 2006 was honored with Food Arts magazine’s Silver Spoon Award, and in 2007 and 2009 shared a second and third James Beard Award for his work in developing the CIA’s “Savoring the Best of World Flavors” DVD and Web cast series, filmed in food cultures on location around the world. In 2008, he was appointed by the President of the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine to its “Committee on Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake,” which recently published its report.. Mr. Drescher serves on the Board of Advisors for Harvard Dining Services, The Robert Mondavi Institute of Wine and Food Science at UC Davis, and the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis. Previously, before joining the CIA at Greystone as its Director of Education in 1995, he jointly spearheaded a multi-year collaboration of some of the world’s leading health experts and organizations—including the Harvard School of Public Health and the World Health Organization—in researching and authoring the “The Traditional, Healthy Mediterranean Diet Pyramid.” Mr. Drescher travels widely around the world to track flavors, culinary traditions and inspiration for healthy eating. A recent profile in Bon Appetit magazine dubbed him the “Flavor Hunter.” Beginnning with the development of educational programs in conjunction with the International Olive Oil Council in the late 1980’s, Mr. Drescher has had a long history of working to bring the culture of olive oil to the United States. He is a member of the UC Davis Olive Center Advisory Board, and has become an active partner in staging recent “Beyond Extra Virgin” (BEV) conferences, including crafting the collaboration’s statement of philosophy and strategy (www. super-premium-olive-oil.com). Working with Oleoteca Villa Campestri and 3E Association, he has joined with his colleagues at CIA at Greystone to create the United States’ first Oleoteca dedicated to the appreciation of super-premium olive oil at the college’s Napa Valley campus. (Napa Valley, California) Massimo Ferasin graduated in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Padua in 1996. He has been working several years on agricultural Research and Development projects throughout the Veneto region, especially in the field of olive oil production. He has also been involved in International projects in sensory analysis. Since 2004, Dr Ferasin has been lecturing at the Universities of Padua and Verona on olive oil chemistry and technology. He is currently a private consultant and collaborates with Veneto Agricoltura for the regional Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Massimo is in the technical staff of association 3E and the association’s coordinator for the Veneto Region. (Padua, Italy)

Speakers

Dan Flynn is the executive director of the UC Davis Olive Center, created in 2007 to promote collaboration between UC Davis, olive producers, and the community. The UC Davis Olive Center is the only center of its kind in North America. Mr. Flynn oversees administration of the center, including developing strategy, networking with industry and faculty, and administering research projects. He is also manager of the UC Davis Olive Oil, a successful venture that uses olives from the trees growing on campus to produce high-quality olive oils. Prior to joining UC Davis, he was a consultant to the California State Legislature, focusing on land use and environmental issues. Mr. Flynn has owned and managed a small certified organic cherry and apple farm in the Sierra foothills. He received his B.A. in sociology from UC Santa Barbara and his M.A. in political science from Rutgers. (Sacramento, California)

Brígida Jiménez Herrera is the Director of the Agricultural Research and Training Centre (I.F.A.P.A.) in Cabra (Córdoba), Andalusian Institute of Agriculture, Fishing, Food Investigation and Ecological Production. She has been a member of the Regulatory Council of olive Oil the Priego de Córdoba Denomination of Origin. She has published papers on themes related to oil tasting, olive pest and disease control, olive harvesting. She has participated in oil tasting competition, including several in Italy, the latest in Verona, at the International Competition Sol d’Oro, March 2010. (Córdoba, Spain)

Giuseppe Giuffrè is the owner of “peppe giuffrè srl”, restaurant and catering service, and he is president of “Peppe Giuffrè Editore”, publisher of manuals and pocket books in the food and culinary themes. He is official events partner of prestigious international firms as Cartier, Hermes, BMW, Porsche. As a promoter of the Sicilian culinary art and tradition, Peppe has an outstanding record of participation in important events: the visits to Sicily of Presidents of the Italian Republic (Oscar Luigi Scalfaro in 1998, Carlo Azelio Ciampi in 2003, and Giorgio Napolitano, on May 2010); official dinners in Valencia (the America’s Cup), Dubai (Dusit Hotel) , Brasilia (the Italian Ambassy), Bruxelles (the president of EU Commission), Strasburg (the Europarliament), Monaco, Rome (the Antonello da Messina exhibition), Paris (the opening of “Caffè del Gattopardo”) and many others. Peppe has been awarded Premio Mulini for Culture (2004), Premio Assindustria for Culture (2004), Nuzio Nasi (2001), the UNESCO award (1999). The Peppe Giuffrè srl has an impressive capacity for organizing high class dinners for great number of participants. His culinary creativity has been applied also to value the Arab culinary tradition in a Sicilian key. He has participation in international catering organizations. (Trapani, Italy)

Paolo Inglese is professor of Horticulture at the University of Palermo, president of the graduation course in “Agricultural Science and Technology” and of the Master degree in “Quality and Safety of Agricultural Production”. He is author or co-author of more than 150 papers concerning the cultivation of fruit plants including olive and of wood plants. From 1997 to 2006 he has been a member of the Italian University Council (CUN). He is president of SOI (the Italian Society of Horticulture) and a member of several academies including the Academy of Georgofili (Florence) and the Italian Academy of Olive and Oil (Spoleto). He is in the board of the Regional Institute of Olive and Oil of Sicily. (Palermo, Italy)

Jean-Xavier Guinard is Associate Vice Provost for International Programs and Professor of Sensory Science in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of California, Davis. He is the Director of the UC Davis Olive Oil Taste Panel. He was trained as a Food Engineer in France and later received a Master’s Degree in Food Science with an Enology Emphasis, and a Ph.D. in Microbiology, both from UC Davis. Dr. Guinard is a sensory scientist and a consumer researcher. His research focuses on the sensory properties of foods and beverages, how humans perceive them, and how they affect food choice and intake, and consumer behavior. He teaches undergraduate, graduate and extension food science, sensory science and consumer science courses. In 1998, he served as Head of Consumer research with the Danone Group in France and in 2005-06 as Director of the Education Abroad Program of the University of California, in Madrid, Spain. (Davis, California)

Nancy Harmon Jenkins is a food writer, journalist and historian with primary expertise in Mediterranean cultures and cuisines, and secondary strong interests in sustainable agriculture and farm-to-market connections. Hailed as “an anthropologist of the human soul as revealed through food” (Amazon.com), Nancy has traveled the world looking for the connection between who we are and what we eat. She has written frequently about Mediterranean cuisine. Her latest release, Cucina Del Sole: A Celebration of Southern Italian Cooking joins her other highly regarded titles such as The Essential Mediterranean, Flavors of Tuscany, The Flavors of Puglia, The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook available in bookstores worldwide. Formerly a staff writer with The New York Times, Ms. Jenkins today contributes to a number of publications, including The New York Times, Food & Wine, Eating Well, and Saveur. She works closely with the Culinary Institute of America, leading tours to Italy and Spain for the CIA’s Worlds of Flavor Program and Viking Life Culinary Tours. Nancy divides her time between her farmhouse outside of Cortona, Italy and the coast of Maine. (Camden, Maine and Cortona, Italy)

Speakers

Aris Kefalogiannis is the founder and CEO of “Gaea Products S.A.”, the leading Greek brand in the category of authentic Greek specialty food products. Aris is vice-chairman of the National Interprofessional Organization of Olive Oil & Olives (EDOEE) and vicechairman of the Board of Directors of SEVITEL, the Greek Confederation of Olive Oil Industries. Gaea’s vision is to be the the leader of Greek cuisine in the international food arena. Gaea’s extra virgin olive oils have gained international awards, among which “Stiftung Warentest” as the best extra virgin olive oil in the German market in 2006, and the first prize in the IOC competition in 2008. Gaea’s products have also gained several major awards internationally for their quality and design, such as several Stars in UK’s “Great Taste Awards”, twice “Product of the Year” in Russia, “UK Design and Art Directors Association”, “New York Advertising Festival”, etc. Gaea’s extra virgin olive oils were recently certified, first in the world, as “carbon neutral” by the Swiss nonprofit organization “Myclimate. With a LLM from London School of Economics and a MBA from the City University London, Aris is an Olympic champion with the Greek Water Polo National Team in Los Angeles (1984, 8th place), in Moscow (1980, 10th place) and in Seoul (1988, 9th place). In 2003, Aris was presented by the President of the Greek Democracy the “Kouros” award for distinction in the International Business Arena-Exports. (Athens, Greece)

Harold McGee writes about the science of food and cooking. He took up this vocation after studies in physics and astronomy at the California Institute of Technology and English Literature at Yale University, where he wrote a doctoral thesis with the prophetic title “Keats and the Progress of Taste.” After several years as a literature and writing instructor at Yale, he decided to practice what he’d been teaching and write a book about the science of everyday life. In 1984 he published On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Twenty years later, the revised and enlarged edition of On Food and Cooking was named best food reference of 2004 by the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals. In 2005, Bon Appétit magazine named McGee food writer of the year, and in 2008, Time magazine included him on its annual list of the world’s most influential people. Six years after On Food & Cooking, in 1990, Harold published a shorter and more personal book, The Curious Cook: More Kitchen Science and Lore. In the first chapters, he narrates his efforts to solve a variety of kitchen puzzles. (How much oil can you emulsify into a mayonnaise with one egg yolk? Gallons. Why does frying spatter end up on the inside surface of the cook’s eyeglasses? Gravity.) He then goes in search of the solid principles that underlie the ever-changing scientific evidence linking diet and the major scourges of later life, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. And he concludes with reflections about the great gastronomical writer Brillat-Savarin and about the fundamental nature and appeal of cooked foods. Harold McGee has written articles and reviews for many publications, including Nature, Physics Today, Food & Wine, and Fine Cooking. He writes a monthly column, “The Curious Cook,” for The New York Times. (San Francisco, California)

Alessandro Leone, is assistant professor in agricultural mechanics, PriMe Department—Engineering Area, University of Foggia, Italy. He teaches classes on mechanization in agriculture and statistics. He also teaches a specialized course in olive-oil processing plants. His research interests include innovation in olive harvesting and pruning, optimisation of agro-food industry plants and process settings, logic control of processes, recycling of agro-food byproducts, and waste management. In 2007 he participated in the first edition of the conference “Beyond Extra Virgin” and was named an honorary citizen of Davis. In 2009 he was named member of Accademia dei Georgofili. (Ostuni, Italy)

Erminio Monteleone is an Associate Professor at the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology at the University of Florence, where he teaches classes on sensory evaluation of food and consumer testing. His research is focused on sensory determinants of food acceptability and preference. He also works on the description of the sensory properties and functionality of extra virgin olive oils, oils and on sensory and hedonic consumer expectation towards extra virgin olive oil. Erminio was a visiting scientist at the Institute of Food Research, Reading, UK, (1995) and at the Western Sydney University, Australia (2000). Since 2002 co-chair of the Italian Society of Sensory Science. In 2004 he served as co-chair of the First European Conference on Sensory Science on Food and Beverages: A Sense of Identity, held in Florence, and in July 2009 he served as co-chair of the 8th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium. Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium. Member of the Accademia dei Georgofili, Florence, Italy. He serves as reviewer of many scientific Food Science Journals such as Food Quality and Preference, Journal of Sensory Science, Appetite, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, American Journal of Viticulture and Enology. He is also member of the editorial board of Food Quality and Preference. (Florence, Italy)

Domenico Longo obtained his hotel and culinary diploma in 1998, then he moved to Tuscany and Lombardia. In Milan, he worked in the Four Seasons hotel chain under the guidance of Chef Sergio Mei. An important experience followed in Veneto thanks to the master Beppo Tonon training in buffets making and decorations with carved vegetables and fruits. Invited in schools and regional television programmes, he also writes for cooking and cuisine decoration magazines. He has taken part in several competitions on decorations, cuisine and confectionery, winning national and international awards. Recently, he obtained a second place in the pastry world cup held in Lyon (France) in 2009. He is currently Chef at the restaurant Casa Coste in the province of Treviso; he devotes particular attention and creativity to health-oriented Mediterranean cuisine, also collaborating with the Italian Cuisine Academy which aims to spreading healthy eating habits. (Treviso, Italy)

Speakers

Renato Morisco is the manager of Villa Morisco srl and Morisco Service srl (Bari). He focuses on the alchemy between the quality of the products and the simplicity of presentation, which satisfies all the faculties of sensation: taste, sight, smell, touch, and hearing. Through his study and research, Renato has developed a competence in the art&culinary design, winning awards with his decoration proposals. His search includes the use of low-temperature and vacuum cooking. His skills and knowledge in the Apulian culinary tradition and his innovative touch of traditional dishes has made him a successful messenger of the Apulian cuisine in Japan, where he has established a permanent consultant relationship with the Starwood Hotel Japan Company, with a specific commitment in extra virgin olive oils selection. (Bari, Italy)

Christoforos Peskias is the chef of the new innovative, casual “p. box” restaurant in Athens. Previously, chef Peskias was the visionary and chef behind 48 The Restaurant in Athens, Greece, for many years one of Greece’s top restaurants . Known for presenting traditional Greek cuisine with modern culinary techniques, Chef Peskias was born and raised in Cyprus, studied business administration at Boston University, and returned to Athens in 1992 to get his first cooking job at Dash Restaurant in Kifissia. In 1995 he moved to Chicago to work with his first mentor, Charlie Trotter. In 2002, while working in Greece, he met with Ntoris Margelos, who was planning to open 48 The Restaurant. Before opening 48, Chef Peskias trained briefly under Ferran Adrià, Mark Menaux, and Joel Robuchon. In 2007 and 2008, Restaurant magazine ranked 48 The Restaurant as one of the top 100 restaurants in the world. (Athens, Greece)

Tom Mueller is an American freelance writer educated at Harvard (BA in mathematics and Renaissance literature) and Oxford (doctorate in medieval history), whose work includes both fiction and non-fiction. As a freelance journalist he has contributed to The New Yorker, National Geographic, The New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, and other publications, on topics that frequently hover at the intersection of science and the humanities. In 2007, for The New Yorker, he wrote “Slippery Business: the Trade in Adulterated Olive Oil.” He is currently writing a book on the cultural, industrial, and culinary history of olive oil, to be published in 2012 by W W Norton. He has lived in various parts of Europe since 1986, and has been based in Liguria, Italy since 1994. (Liguria, Italy) Paolo Pasquali is the owner and operator of Villa Campestri, a four-star olive oil resort in Mugello (Tuscany). The resort includes olive orchards, an olive mill, olive oil tasting, a restaurant showcasing olive oil, and world’s first “Oleoteca”, a center for olive oil tasting, research and study. Paolo has developed the “OliveToLive” system, an innovative method of storing and serving high-quality extra virgin olive oil from temperature-controlled and oxygen-free dispenser. With a Master in Philosophy at the University of Florence and an amateur experience as musician, Paolo has a special gift for combining business with culture and beauty. An olive oil menu prepared by the Chef Jerry under Paolo’s inspiration and supervision is a memorable experience for the customers of the Villa Campestri restaurant. (Florence, Italy)

Luis Rallo Romero (Ceuta, 1940). Dr. Ingeniero Agrónomo. Professor of Pomology at the Universidad de Córdoba since 1975. He has published more than 200 papers on fruit trees, especially on olive. Author and editors of book chapters and books among which an outstanding book on “El Cultivo del Olivo”, that it is at the 6th edition (more than 25000 printed and sold exemplars), this book is currently being translated into English by the Australian Growers Association. The monograph “Las Variedades de Olivo en España”(2005) is the most complete Elaiography on Spanish olive cultivars. This book was awarded as the best book of agriculture in 2005 ( at the prestigious Fira of San Miguel, Lleida, Catalunya). He has been also distinguished by the “Fruit Award” by the American Society for Horticultural Sciences (1991) to the most outstanding paper on fruits published in the Journals of this Society. He was awarded as researcher of the year in Córdoba (1998). He has been President of the Spanish Society for Horticultural Sciences (1987-1996). He has been General Secretary of Agriculture and Husbandry of the Andalusia Government (2000-2004) contributing to the Act of creation of the Andalusia Agricultural, Food and Fisheries Research Institute (IFAPA) in 2003. In 2007 he was awarded with the Andalusia Prize of Research by his works on olive genetics resources and breeding. He has been Chairman of the Scientific and Programme Committee of the recent 28th International Horticultural Congress, Lisbon 2010. He is Correspondent Academic at The Georgofili (Italy). (Córdoba, Spain)

Claudio Peri is one of the founders and the president of Association 3E. He is professor emeritus of the university of Milano; and chair of food quality and safety management at the Universities of Milano, Parma and Pollenzo (The University of Gastronomic Sciences). He has authored or co-authored about 280 articles in refereed journals and 20 textbooks concerning the food processes, quality and safety management systems, process control and product traceability. Professor Peri has founded, led or served on a number of institutes and boards such as the Italian Association of Food Technologists, the Food Commission of the Italian Standardization Institute, the European Society for Agricultural and Food Ethics. He has been co-founder and the first director of the Department of Food Science and Technology of the University of Milano, the first and largest institution of the Italian University in the Food Science and Technology field. He is a member of various research committees and academies, and the president of the Center for Quality Studies of the Academy of Georgofili, Florence. In collaboration with Sharon Shoemaker, the executive director of the California Institute of Food and Agricultural Research (CIFAR) of UC Davis, professor Peri has conceived and organized the first BEV conference at UC Davis in 2007. (Milan, Italy)

Benedetto Ruperti graduated in Agricultural Sciences in 1994 and got his PhD degree in 1998 at the University of Padua. He spent research periods at the University of Nottingham (Department of Plant and Environmental Science), at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Crete (1994), at the University of Nottingham, in 1998, at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research (MPIZ), Koeln and as a Marie Curie Fellow at the Institute of Biology II of the University of Freiburg, Germany. Since 2007 he is researcher at the University of Padua. His research activity is focused on biochemical, physiological and molecular factors responsible for the ripening of fruits in tree species and their senescence during storage with a special focus on mechanisms of oxidative stress. He takes part, as a group leader, in national and international projects (European Space Agency and The European Community). (Padua, Italy)

Speakers

María José San Román began her professional life as restaurant and hotel owner with her husband José Perramón. Nowadays she owns Frankfurt «Tribeca», Asador «La Vaquería», «La Taberna del Gourmet», Discoteca «Z-Club», «BARQ», Bar «Los Mejillones». In 1997 she opened in Alicante the Restaurante Monastrell, based on her own personal vision and style of the culinary culture and art: stressing on original flavors, use of new technologies, making important local and seasonal products, re-thinking the Mediterranean tradition, searching for sensorial contrasts and, most of all, harmony. She is now involved in an investigation and creativity process related to saffron. Backed by Verdú Cantó Saffron Spain, Maria José is exploring new culinary possibilities for traditional “Red Gold”, and its different application in modern cuisine. She has transferred her knowledge and experience as speaker at Culinary Institute of America in San Francisco (2006) and at the University Castilla La Mancha (2006), and also at Madrid Fusion 2008, an event where are shown all culinary innovations in Spain. Interviewed by The New York Times she was invited once again to The Culinary Institute of America in San Francisco, where she presented her exclusive Saffron Menú. Maria José San Román is an endless traveler; she has visited countries very different from the culinary point of view, such as Mexico and Sweden, where she has presented her Spanish-Mediterranean cuisine. She was also invited by ICEX, at Sydney (Australia) to promote Spanish cooking at the famous restaurant Wildfire. Recently she took part in Food and Fun in Island where she achieved the Best Fish Dish Prize. (Alicante, Spain)

Maurizio Servili is Associate Professor at the University of Perugia. He graduated in Agricultural Science in 1986 at the University of Perugia Italy. He acquired domestic and international experience as doctoral fellow at the Istituto di Industrie Agrarie (19861990) University of Perugia and at The Dept. Bioscience and Biotechnology of Strathclyde University, Glasgow, Scotland. Research activities involve virgin olive oil, wine and tomato products, in pèarticular: a) study of minor components of virgin olive oil such as phenols and volatile compounds with sensory and healthy functions; b) Antioxidant activity of virgin olive oil phenolics c) virgin olive oil characterization through the control of agronomic and technological operations; d) Technological innovation to improve sensory and healthy properties of oil and to utilize pomaces and vegetation waters. (Perugia, Italy)

Franco Scaramuzzi is Professor Emeritus of the University of Florence. Since 1986, he is President of the Academy of Gorgofili. In the last three decades, under his presidency, the Academy of Gorgofili has become the Italian reference centre of agriculture and food science and culture. Four times elected rector of the university of Florence (a rare event in Italian universities), professor Scaramuzzi has been the head of this university for twelve consecutive years, from 1979 to 1991. PhD (1954) and full professor (1959) of Plant Science at the universities of Pisa and Florence, he has devoted his research to applied biology of fruit plants, including olive propagation. He was awarded the gold medal of university of Florence, the gold medal of the Ministry of Education for outstanding contribution to culture and education, and, in 1988, he received the nomination as “Cavaliere di Gran Croce” the highest merit reward of the Italian Republic. Professor Scaramuzzi is a member of several academies in different countries. He has been the President of the International Society for Horticultural Sciences and, from 1979 to 1986 a member of the Italian University Council (CUN). In 2008, he has allowed the Academy of Georgofili to host the second edition of the conference “Beyond Extra Virgin”. Professor Scaramuzzi and the Academy of Georgofili have offered support, advice, encouragement, and the most qualified scientific background to Association 3E and its initiative for excellence in olive oil. (Florence, Italy)

Pedro Barato Triguero is the President of Olive Oil from Spain Interprofesional Organization since it was created on 2003. He was elected in 1990 as President of ASAJA, the principal Agrarian Spanish Organization. Licensed in Law, Mr. Barato is Vice-president of CEOE (Spanish Federation of Entrepreneurial Organizations), member of the Praesidium of COPA (Committee of Agrarian Organizations of the EU). Member of the Consultative Committee PAC of the European Commission. Member from 1997 of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Union. Member of the Economic and Social Spanish Council from 1991. President of AMAT (Association of Mutual of Accidents of Work) and advisor of de managements boards of several companies. President of the Spanish National Confederation of sugar-cane and sugar-beet growers from 2007. (Madrid, Spain)

Rosa Vañó is the general manager of Castillo de Canena Olive Juice S.L. In 2004, she transformed the family olive oil business from a bulk olive oil producer to a premium quality, single estate, extra virgin olive oil company. Castillo de Canena combines family olive oil tradition (since 1780) with the most advanced technological solutions. The Company is deeply committed to sustainability through its solar farm, leadership of biomass programs and recycled water technology. In May 2009 the Company’s Arbequina was chosen as one of the nine best oils of the world by Germany’s Feinschmeker gourmet magazine. The oil is sold in 35 countries, at Michelein-star restaurants, delis and five-star hotels. In March 2009, Rosa was named “Andalusian of the year”, by Diario Jaén. In June 2010, the Picual Reserve Familiar of Castillo de Canena, an oil of excellence already selected as one of the 3E Super-Premium Selection oils, was awarded the Best of Show medal at the Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition. (Castillo de Canena, Spain)

Speakers Paul Vossen has been a University of California Cooperative Extension-farm advisor in Sonoma County for 28 years. He works in the area of fruit tree, berry, and specialty vegetable culture; pest control; olive oil processing; olive oil sensory evaluation; and produce marketing. He was one of the founders of the California Olive Oil Council in 2001. He has conducted research on the effects of irrigation and olive fruit fly damage on olive oil sensory quality, and in identifying the sensory characteristics of olive oil varieties grown in different areas of California. His work was instrumental in the development of the UC Manual on Organic Olive Production. Paul has judged olive oils internationally since 1997. He has farmed and marketed specialty fruit and vegetable products for many years. Paul has an M.S. degree from UC Davis. (Sebastopol, California).

Roberto Francesco Zanieri, known as “Jerry”, was born on 1970 at Tripoli in Libia. His roots are Italian, half from Tuscany and half from Emilia. In 1987, he obtained a bachelor in “Maestro d’Arte” followed by “Maturità delle arti applicate” in 1989. After the first work experience, as graphic and advertising designer, he devoted his life to his family’s passion: cooking. His Grandmother was a Chef, the Grandfather was the owner of a grocery shop and an hotel. In 1994, Jerry opened a successful Birreria (pub and restaurant) in Vicchio of Mugello (Florence). He specialized in traditional and international cuisine and obtained several diplomas like “beer taster” and “ Chief of beer”. In 2005 he began collaborating with Paolo Pasquali, the owner of Villa Campestri’s Oleoteca, focussing on Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Since then, Jerry has built up an extraordinary experience with the pairing of 3E Super-Premium Olive Oils with traditional and innovative dishes. Jerry was awarded the “Ghota del Gusto” in Davis-CA in 2007”. He received the “Silver plaque by Accademia della Cucina Italiana in 2008” for his menus and recipes with 3E Super-Premium Selection of Olive Oils. (Florence, Italy)

BEV IV An International Conference on Olive Oil Flavor and Excellence Verona, Palazzo Giusti, September 20-22, 2010

Presenters

With the partecipation of

Association 3E is a non-profit organization; it aims to foster the culture and commercial success of excellence in extra virgin olive oils produced by member companies in compliance with its certification rules and in agreement with the three founding principles of Ethics, Excellence and Economics. www.super-premium-olive-oil.com The Academy of Georgofili

The Culinary Institute of America

(The CIA) is an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor’s and associate degrees in the culinary arts. A network of more than 37000 alumni in foodservice and hospitality have helped the CIA earn its reputation as the world’s premier culinary college. www.ciachef.edu The Galilean Academy, Padua

The UC Davis Olive Center is the only

academic center of its kind in North America. The center’s goals are to enhance the quality and economic viability of California olive oil and table olives through education and research, as well as foster a global exchange of information and ideas. www.oliveoil.ucdavis.edu The University of Gastronomic Sciences, Pollenzo

The Center for Quality Studies of the Academy of Georgofili (CeSQua)

aims at developing and spreading the culture of Quality, Quality Evaluation and Quality Management in the Agricultural and Food field. It plans, coordinates and implements research and educational projects both in the University and in the Business world. www.georgofili.it

CONFERENCE