Olive oil tasting workshop at La Chef Levi Cooking and Pastry School!
On 22/02 La Chef Levi Cooking and Pastry School in Thessaloniki hosted Mr. Odysseas Vlahava, a professional olive oil taste tester and producer of Ellion extra virgin olive oil.
Oil is an essential ingredient in both professional kitchens and for pastry chefs. In fact, a fatty ingredient such as oil can make or break a dish. Olive oil plays a primary role in Mediterranean cuisine. A professional is able to choose his olive oil based on the label, but how can he be sure of the quality of the actual product? The problem is that there are oils of very low standard on the market and the only way to distinguish the good from the bad is to sensitize your palate in order to detect subtle differences, and in this way decide which oil suits each recipe.
How can this be done?
By trying many different olive oils, some excellent ones but also oils with defects in their flavour and aromas, while having a professional taste tester by your side to explain the differences. That was also the purpose of this workshop. In their course, the culinary students learnt all they needed to know about olive oil, from the olives in the trees to the proper storage of olive oil in the warehouse. The taste testing workshop was the final chapter in their learning about olive oil and enabled the chefs of the future to be able to better understand their raw materials. Mr. Vlahava’s enthusiasm, attention to detail and knowledge inspired a constructive three-hour workshop in which the students were initiated into the peculiarities of olive oil, the way to detect defects and of course the necessary information on how to improve recipes through the use of different olive oils. These are also the two unique specialties of the La Chef Levi Cooking and Pastry School in Thessaloniki!
Upon completion of the workshop Mr. Vlahava sent this beautiful message: "I was thrilled with the response from the future chefs who attended the olive oil seminar organized by the brilliant La Chef Levi Cooking and Pastry School in Thessaloniki. By placing emphasizing on the defects in what is the cornerstone of Mediterranean cuisine, both organoleptic and in some simple but essential preparations, I wanted them to understand the important role and impact of raw materials on their cooking. I think the end result was very constructive for all of us."
We wish to thank Mr. Odysseas Vlahava for choosing Kyklopas extra virgin olive oil to help students understand the positive characteristics of olive oil!