Vivian van Wordragen could write a book about it (and perhaps she will one day): olive oil. "A beautiful, healthy, and pure product," she says, "about which little is known by the general public. A good olive oil can rival the best wines." Just like grapes, there are many different varieties worldwide ("More than a thousand," she says) and just like wines, the terroir is important – a combination of the soil, climate, and sun hours that influence the taste and aroma. What flavors do you taste, we wondered? "Here too, the palette is almost as broad as with wine. An olive oil can taste grassy, or like olive leaf, but also like green tomato, banana, and red fruit. Truly fantastic." Another thing: food pairing. Olive oil is not only suitable for dipping your baguette or dressing your salad, it can also be used as an ingredient in patisserie. You can even use it as a flavor enhancer in a cocktail, or like Jamie Oliver, pour it over your vanilla ice cream with a pinch of sea salt. Give it a try!
Best in class graduate
So versatile, olive oil. Vivian should know, because as one of the few certified Professional Olive Oil Tasters in the Netherlands, she knows everything about olive oil. During her training in Liguria – she graduated as Best In Class – she learned not only all the theoretical knowledge but also how to assess the quality of olive oil using chemical test results, and she specialized in sensory analysis: what you can perceive with your senses (smell, sight, taste). "With the help of that sensory analysis, you determine, among other things, whether there is no defect in the olive oil. The production process of extra virgin olive oil ('extra virgin', thus untreated) is very precise: after picking the olives, they must be pressed as quickly as possible, otherwise, it will not benefit the quality. If you wait too long, you get a defective oil and it can no longer be labeled as 'extra virgin'." There are many more factors that influence quality. She continues: "When tasting, we actually use three parameters: the fruitiness, the bitterness, and the spiciness of the olive oil. By training, training, training for years, and by tasting and smelling a lot, I have become a true expert."
International recognition
She is eager to share that knowledge. Vivian is now fully dedicated to educating buyers, chefs, and other decision-makers to understand and appreciate high-quality olive oil through masterclasses, workshops, and tastings. She gained international recognition as a project manager in the global organization "Women in Olive Oil" and as a jury member in various international olive oil competitions, such as Terraolivo in Tel Aviv and the London International Olive Oil Competitions. Quite prestigious all of it. But what drives someone to become an olive oil expert? "I worked for years in the Food Industry. After more than ten years of experience in purchasing Mediterranean delicacies for an international retail chain, I decided to use the enormous wealth of knowledge and experience to pursue my own culinary path and started my own company: ViaViv. It was born out of my passion for olive oil, such a beautiful pure and healthy product. I wanted to do something with it."
Wonderful product
With all the taste technical knowledge and expertise, VIA VIV selects the very best olive oils for both professional chefs and enthusiastic home cooks, and brings her own brand of olive oil to the market. It is now also on the table at the Michelin-starred restaurant Fine Fleur in Antwerp. “It would be great if my olive oil could be found in fine delicatessen shops, top restaurants, and high-end stores in the future. One of the greatest compliments is that an Italian hospitality entrepreneur now uses my olive oil in his business. However, ultimately, my mission is not to sell as many bottles as possible. I want to introduce as many people as possible to what a wonderful product olive oil is.”
