The Olive Oil Market in America Through a Chef’s Eyes : The Past Has a Future!

As a chef, I’m facing a significant challenge: allergies. We have never seen so many restrictions, which can limit our creativity in the kitchen. Let’s imagine we have two groups: Unit A - people with allergies, and Unit B - people without allergies. In the past, these figures were closely aligned, with only a few exceptions. Today, they are becoming more separated, with a few points of connection remaining. Mathematically analyzing this problem, I’ve discovered that olive oil is one of the few ingredients that can unite everyone. It is a fundamental nutrition source, free of side effects, and offers numerous health benefits. As a chef, I need to be better informed about the primary ingredients we use because food is medicine - something we consume daily. In today’s society, driven by consumers and easy accessibility to food, it’s more important than ever to be conscious of what we eat and where our products come from. As Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote in The Physiology of Taste, "Gastronomy is political economy." When searching for fresher, higher-quality products, technology can be a helpful tool. When products originate from afar, freezing can be a viable solution - and, if done correctly, a blessing. This approach should apply to olive oil too. A recent study revealed that eight of the top ten olive oils in the world are Greek. Greece is geographically blessed with a territory that produces remarkable olive oil flavors, which are still crafted with care, based on traditional methods. Many consumers in the United States are eager to access premium-quality products, especially when it comes to olive oil. It’s clear that high-quality olive oil with a high phenolic content has a promising future in the American market. The same could be true for frozen olive oil. As chefs, we understand that to maintain healthy customers, we must control portion sizes and enhance flavors using premium ingredients, knowledge, and skill.