What Is an Olive Oil Sommelier? And Why I Chose This Path?

Extra virgin olive oil is one of the most important and most misunderstood ingredients in the kitchen. Many people use it every day, yet few have ever been taught how to recognize quality, freshness, or authenticity.

As an olive oil sommelier based in Westchester County, my role is to change that through education, tasting, and community engagement.

What Is an Olive Oil Sommelier?

An olive oil sommelier is a trained professional specializing in the sensory evaluation, quality standards, production methods, and culinary use of extra virgin olive oil. Similar to a wine sommelier, an olive oil sommelier understands how olive variety, terroir, harvest timing, and milling practices influence flavor, aroma, and nutritional value.

An olive oil sommelier is trained to:

Evaluate extra virgin olive oil using professional tasting methods
Identify positive attributes such as fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency
Detect defects such as rancidity, mustiness, or fermentation
Understand international quality standards and freshness indicators
Teach consumers how to shop for, store, taste, and cook with olive oil confidently

At its core, this work is about education and sensory awareness helping people trust their senses instead of marketing claims.

My Certification and Professional Training

I earned my olive oil sommelier certification through the Olive Oil Times Sommelier Program, one of the most respected olive oil education programs in the world.

The program I completed took place in New York City, bringing together producers, chefs, food professionals, and educators from around the world. The training was intensive and immersive, covering:

Professional olive oil tasting methodology
Chemistry and health-related compounds in extra virgin olive oil
Global olive varieties and production regions
Milling practices, defects, and quality control
International standards for extra virgin olive oil

Completing this program sharpened my palate, deepened my technical knowledge, and gave me the tools to communicate olive oil quality clearly and accurately.

A certificate that Tamara Curlic is a Certified olive oil sommelier , certification by Oive oil times in New York 2025

Why I Decided to Become an Olive Oil Sommelier?

I chose to become an olive oil sommelier because I wanted to go beyond selling olive oil. I wanted to understand it fully from the grove to the bottle and to be able to explain why quality matters in a way that feels accessible and empowering.

Once you taste truly fresh extra virgin olive oil, the difference is undeniable. But most people never get that opportunity. Education changes everything:

It helps people avoid stale or mislabeled oils
It deepens appreciation for craftsmanship and freshness
It turns olive oil from a background ingredient into something intentional

Becoming certified allowed me to stand behind what I share not just with passion, but with professional training and experience.

a person holding a professional blue glass and warming up the olive oil

Sharing Knowledge and Giving Back to the Community

A core part of my mission is sharing this knowledge with the community and giving back. Olive oil education shouldn’t be exclusive or intimidating it should be something people of all ages and backgrounds can access and enjoy.

Through workshops, tastings, and educational talks in Westchester County and the surrounding Hudson Valley, I aim to:

Demystify extra virgin olive oil
Teach people how to taste and choose olive oil with confidence
Support healthier cooking habits through real, fresh ingredients
Create welcoming spaces for learning and connection

Whether I’m working with families, students, wellness groups, or local organizations, my goal is always the same: to meet people where they are and give them tools they can actually use.

a group of people in a teaching kitchen learning about the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil in Hudson Valley Teaching Kitchen in NY Presbeterian Hospital — The Art of Cooking with Olive Oil -NYP Hudson Valley Hospital Teaching Kitchen

What I Do as an Olive Oil Sommelier in Westchester County?

My work focuses on hands-on, sensory education that feels practical and enjoyable. I offer:

Guided olive oil tastings and workshops
Educational talks on extra virgin olive oil quality and freshness
Cooking demonstrations and food pairings
Community-based programs and private group events

Participants learn how to:

Taste olive oil like a professional
Identify freshness and quality
Understand why bitterness and pepperiness are positive attributes
Use different styles of olive oil for cooking, finishing, and pairing

a cooking class to educate kids about the importance of cooking with extra virgin olive oil in Westchester county, after school activities , spanakopita — Cooking class with Fiddlheads Cooking Studio - children learning to bake with extra virgin olive oil

Looking Ahead

As I continue expanding my olive oil workshops and educational offerings, my focus remains rooted in community and education. Extra virgin olive oil is a living, cultural ingredient and everyone deserves the chance to experience it as it’s meant to be.

a guided olive oil tasting with olive oil tasting mats on a wooden table with olive branches and green apples and tomato plans and artichokes

If you’re interested in attending a workshop, hosting an educational tasting, or learning more about extra virgin olive oil, I’d love to connect. Please feel free to reach out contact@agapepremium.com .

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Tamara

Olive Oil Sommelier in Westchester County , NY 2026