Meet Anita
Born in Athens, Greece, Anita Zachou has always felt deeply connected to her country's rich culture, breathtaking landscapes, and the Mediterranean way of life. Greece's natural beauty has been her greatest source of inspiration and well-being.
Growing up in an olive oil-producing family from Kalamata, she spent her childhood among the millions of olive trees that cover the Messinian landscape - climbing their branches, taking part in the annual harvest, and enjoying the fresh extra virgin olive oil produced by her family every season. Those early experiences nurtured a lifelong passion for olive oil and shaped the path she would eventually follow.
Inspired by this heritage, Anita studied Agricultural Engineering before dedicating herself to the world of extra virgin olive oil. In 2012, she became a professional olive oil taster and later received a prestigious scholarship from the International Olive Council (IOC) to attend the internationally renowned Expert in Virgin Olive Oil Tasting programme at the University of Jaén (Spain). There, she trained under some of the world's leading olive oil experts, including Marino Uceda, Brigida Jimenez, Angeles Calvo, María Paz Aguilera, Placido Pascual, Hipólito García Toledo, and other distinguished specialists.
After a successful 20-year career in multinational companies, Anita made the bold decision to leave the corporate world behind and dedicate her life to her true passion: helping people discover, appreciate, produce, and promote exceptional extra virgin olive oil.
In 2018, Anita founded Mykonos Olive Oil Tasting with a vision to think beyond tradition and redefine olive tourism. She believed that authentic olive oil experiences could be created anywhere in the world, not only where olive groves and mills exist. By combining education, gastronomy, storytelling, hospitality, and wellness, she pioneered a new concept of luxury olive tourism, proving that olive oil can become a destination in itself.
Today, Mykonos Olive Oil Tasting offers consulting, seminars, masterclasses, tastings, and educational experiences for producers, brands, hospitality professionals, chefs, culinary schools, and consumers worldwide. It is also the creator of the world's first On-Yacht Olive Oil Tasting Experiences, bringing the culture of extra virgin olive oil to one of the world's most iconic luxury destinations.
Driven by a passion for quality, education, and innovation, Anita's mission is to help producers create exceptional olive oils and stronger brands while inspiring people around the world to appreciate the remarkable value of extra virgin olive oil and the Mediterranean lifestyle.
