PROFILE:

Emily Lycopolus is a professional olive oil taster, a level 2 olive oil sommelier, and the author of eight cookbooks. She is the founder of The Olive Oil Critic (oliveoilcritic.com). With a degree in Life Science from Queen’s University, her love of science and discovery has blended with her deep love of food and flavour. Along with an MA in Cultural Anthropology, her kitchen is also a lab for discovery and learning. Her family owns an olive grove in central Italy, where her love of olive oil began. Emily shares her passion with consumers, olive oil producers, gourmet and grocery retailers, by hosting private workshops, courses, and guided tastings, educating retail and culinary professionals alike all about olive oil.

A faculty member at George Brown College, Center for Hospitality and Culinary Arts, Emily is also the author of eight cookbooks, which have earned prestigious awards such as the Gourmand and Taste Canada Awards. Her books have been presented at the Nobel House in Sweden, further solidifying her esteemed reputation in the industry.

Thanks to her expert palate, Emily shares her passion for olive oil with consumers, producers, and serves as a judge in international olive oil competitions.

In Victoria, Canada, where she lives, she organizes private workshops, advanced courses, and guided tastings with the goal of educating both culinary professionals and retail experts on how to best utilize and promote this precious ingredient.