'Olive oil is like people: it doesn't matter where it comes from, it's how you treat it that matters'

Amy Riolo, chef and expert in Mediterranean gastronomy

Throughout your career as a chef and ambassador of the Mediterranean Diet, you’ve used olive oil in many of your recipes. What characteristics of this ingredient do you believe make it a key element in your menus, both for diplomatic events and cooking classes?

Thank you so much for the question! I deeply enjoy using olive oil as a main ingredient in my classes, books, events, and menus for many reasons. First and foremost, it is a common ancestral element that connects all of us who live in the Mediterranean region. Nowadays, thanks to its many health benefits and growing global popularity, it also unites us with people from all over the world.

This is how I learned to cook: using extra virgin olive oil, even when modern campaigns were encouraging the use of other, less healthy fats. That’s why it’s an honor for me to promote an ingredient that has stood the test of time as a healthy and delicious fat, rich in bioactive compounds that help us feel and look better.

In your product line, Amy Riolo Selections, you include Olive Oil from artisanal producers. What criteria do you use when selecting olive oil for your collection, and how do you ensure the quality and authenticity of the product for your consumers?

It is essential for me to offer my followers and readers products that are not typically available in the United States and that reflect my personality and culinary style. All of the products in my line come from unique farms, run by producers and families I know well. Each of them shares my values. I visit their facilities, observe their processes, and work closely with them. This is key: I could never put my name or face on a product that doesn’t align with what I teach or share on television. Our relationship is completely transparent, which allows me to stand behind everything I say about the EVOO. For instance, with every harvest I request the official analysis issued by a government-accredited Biochemical Analysis Center, which includes data like polyphenol levels and acidity index. I only select oils that are high in phenolic compounds and low in acidity, and that also have an outstanding sensory profile.

I look for unique cultivars, little known in the U.S., such as the Carolea variety, native to Calabria —my ancestral homeland— where even Pythagoras taught nutrition in the 6th century B.C. I then visit the estate to study how that particular variety is grown and what makes it special in its environment. These are products I am proud to consume and share with my loved ones. While they are more expensive than many oils found in supermarkets, their flavor and nutritional value make them incomparable.

As the author of Olive Oil for Dummies and other publications on the Mediterranean Diet, what are the main benefits of olive oil that you highlight in your books?

I had the pleasure of co-authoring that book with Dr. Simon Poole, an inexhaustible source of knowledge about olive oil, who has made it a cornerstone of his medical practice. Interestingly, we had both been writing about EVOO for over a decade before meeting, so joining forces to create a comprehensive guide that covered cultural, historical, medical, scientific, and culinary aspects felt completely natural.

In the book, we devote entire chapters to explaining how EVOO can improve health, so summarizing it all here is a bit of a challenge. But I can highlight a few key benefits. Oleic acid, for example, is associated with cardiovascular health: it helps reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol, lowers the risk of obesity, improves insulin sensitivity, and slows glucose absorption after meals. It has also been shown to help inhibit certain types of cancer, preserve brain function, reduce inflammation, enhance cellular function, and lower blood pressure.

Personally, I’m fascinated by how EVOO, when added to foods like bread or pasta, can reduce their glycemic load. It also boosts nutrient absorption in dishes like salads or fish. We’ve been cooking this way for millennia, and now science is confirming why this approach continues to be so beneficial.

You have created menus and culinary experiences for diplomats and world leaders. In these events, how important is olive oil as a symbol of Mediterranean culture, and how do you present it in your dishes to reflect that tradition?

At these events, I like to give olive oil the spotlight it deserves. Just as one would do with wine, I pair each dish with a specific type of EVOO—the one that best enhances its flavors. I also include the name of the oil on the menu, so guests can explore it further on their own.

Italy, for example, has hundreds of olive varieties, and not all consumers are familiar with them. That’s why I make a point of showcasing the richness and diversity of each type. Whenever possible, I begin the experience by talking about olive oil: its history, its symbolism, and why I chose it for that particular menu.

The olive branch was a symbol of peace in ancient times, and today, the trade of EVOO can be a modern catalyst for peace, health, and prosperity. I always say that olive oil is a lot like people: what matters isn’t where it comes from, but how it’s treated.

Lastly, having worked with the North American Olive Oil Association and other organizations, how have you seen the olive oil industry evolve in recent years, and what steps do you believe should be taken to raise awareness about the quality and benefits of this product on a global scale?

Thanks to the work of individuals like Joseph Profaci at the North American Olive Oil Association, the World Olive Oil Congress, and many other organizations, we continue to make progress in spreading the truth about EVOO. But it’s not an easy task—it took over 100 years of industrialization, misleading advertising, and misinformation to convince consumers that harmful fats were healthy, while simultaneously sowing doubt about olive oil.

Our job is to keep sharing accurate, consistent, and clear information. Little by little, we’re succeeding. And I believe that if more households adopt high-quality EVOO, it will help drive a global movement toward the idea that food is medicine, and that caring for our health begins in the kitchen, in our own hands.