Olive elixir
Dipping a piece of bread in a little olive oil has a solemn character. This moment of comforting pleasure quickly crossed the borders of Italy to become a veritable ritual before meals. Sergio Panzarella is an ambassador of choice when it comes to the taste of olive oil. A former marketing director with a multinational corporation, he has turned to producing olive oil with his Olixir brand through his Food for Health foundation. Here we meet a discreet man who has restored dignity to a decoction too often abused by mass retailers.
© Hayley Hay
Olive oil sommelier
As with the white truffle season, Sergio Panzarella aims to create a popular movement by promoting the seasonal nature of his product. “Despite its unique aromatic and gustatory power, my product must remain accessible, and above all not tip over into a form of elitism”. These are the his grandmother’s pasta al forno, drizzled with olive oil as they were served, cradled young Sergio’s childhood. Born in Palermo, he quickly made his way to the Italian capital before landing on the shores of Lake Geneva.
Born into a family that had owned an olive grove for several generations, he decided at the age of 30 to leave the world of brands behind and return to his native land. For the production of his treasure, he has several hectares in Sicily, which he will farm under the supervision of his grandfather from 1979. “Prior to this stage of my life, I had drifted away from my origins. It was high time to reconnect with my roots,” he recalls with some emotion. The budding entrepreneur leaves nothing to chance, and in 2018, he will be taking an olive oil sommelier diploma in New York. He knows that, to be credible, you need to have some form of legitimacy. And he’s got it!
© Hayley hay
Nutritional strength
And it’s only logical that he should incorporate the skills he acquired in the marketing sector into his new professional activity. “Unfortunately, the nutritional benefits of oil have never been put forward until now. I’m trying to move things forward, at my humble level”. Sergio’s oil is high in polyphenols and vitamin E, and has positive effects on cardiovascular function. Once in the field, he reviews the entire production process. He took over the upkeep of the property, which had been neglected for ten years, and began by clearing the undergrowth. He then proceeds to prune the trees, a strategic step that ensures a regular harvest. The oil is then extracted by pressing the olives, and bottled on the same day. “It’s in the heart of autumn that the olives are harvested.
Once bottled and labeled, the oil can be sold. Sergio starts with the markets. “At this stage, the network is built directly in the field and in contact with people”. Restaurant entrepreneur Benjamin Luzuy and his acolytes Beppe dell’Aquila and Jacopo Romagnoli were the first to put their trust in him and use Olixir in their Geneva establishments. Others soon followed suit. For this latest harvest, Sergio has teamed up with renowned chefs such as Jean-Marc Bessire of Michelin-starred restaurant
With its ultra-chlorophyll-laden green appearance, its “olive juice”, as Sergio calls it, reveals pronounced notes of green olives, herbs and tomato leaves. Tasted like wine, the oil tingles slightly on the tongue. “Bravo!” exclaims the producer immediately. “The tingle is due to the polyphenol content and guarantees natural freshness. It’s proof that we’ve done a good job. With a wonderful pain de campagne or an enchanting foccacia, the moment is truly magical.
