Olio Officina Festival 2025 lands in Genoa – Oil and the Sea

Cristina Santagata is taking part in the 14th edition of Olio Officina Festival scheduled to take place in Genoa from 27 February to 1 March 2025 at the Magazzini del Cotone Congress Centre in the Porto Antico.

Olio Officina Festival, an international event that celebrates oil in all its forms, exploring both the gastronomic and cultural aspects linked to this precious foodstuff, is the brainchild of its director Luigi Caricato, writer, oleologist, journalist and author of several volumes dedicated to extra virgin olive oil.

This year’s edition will be held in Genoa for the first time, tackling the theme ‘Oil and the Sea’, a tribute to the deep connection between olive oil and the maritime environment, particularly significant in a port city like Genoa.

The festival will offer a rich programme of tastings, conferences, and sensory workshops, involving experts, producers, and industry enthusiasts. Among the protagonists of the event will be Cristina Santagata, Managing Director of Santagata 1907 Spa and Raineri Spa, two historical Ligurian oil companies. Already an ambassador of the city of Genoa in the world since 2018, Cristina Santagata has always promoted the importance of dialogue and innovation in the oil sector. In the past, she has participated in several editions of the Olio Officina Festival, contributing her experience and strategic vision.

In this edition of the festival, Cristina Santagata will speak in a dialogue with chef Daniele Rebosio of Hostaria Ducale, with whom she has an interesting collaboration, focusing on the importance of extra virgin olive oil in professional kitchens and how to properly valorise it both in the kitchen and in the dining room. This discussion aims to raise awareness among restaurateurs and chefs on the conscious and qualitative use of oil, a fundamental element of the Italian culinary tradition.

The talk will take place on Friday 27th February at 12:30 p.m. in the Scirocco&Libeccio Plenary Hall, Floor 3, with Luigi Caricato conducting.

Is there a place for extra virgin olive oil in catering?

Obviously professional kitchens cannot do without such a peculiar and unique food fat, but the question is not so much the presence itself, but which presence, where and how. For example, in the halls it is not always found, and it is valued little and badly; in the kitchens the choice falls on the cheapest one. Can a line of dialogue be found between those who produce and those who use it without sacrificing the right quality?

Cristina Santagata, owner Santagata 1907; Daniele Rebosio, chef Hostaria Ducale

The Olio Officina Festival 2025 represents a unique opportunity to deepen the culture of oil, discover new trends and exchange views with industry professionals, all in the beautiful maritime setting of Genoa.

Santagata 1907 is Silver Sponsor of the event.

Free entrance. Entrance from module 8 (floors 2 and 3).

Discover the programme