Olive Oil Times Sommelier Certification Program Europe, September 22-26, 2025

• Retailers: choose high-quality olive oils and communicate their benefits to customers.
• Importers and distributors: Source better products and get what you pay for every time
• Producers: Learn harvesting and production best practices to make award-winning oils
• Chefs and restaurateurs: Get the most value from your key ingredient and win customers.
• Foodservice professionals: Know what you’re buying and manage quality through the supply chain.
• Everyone else: If you care about the food you eat, this course wil change your life!

No Prior experience or courses are required. There are no recommended study materials before the course.

All lessons are presented in English, including the course materials. But if you have a problem with the English language, please contact The Olive Oil Academy team to see if we can provide you with a simultaneous translation into a language you comprehend.

The enrolment fee covers instruction, materials and lunch each day of the course program. It does not cover travel or other expenses during your stay.

The OOT Olive Oil Sommelier Certification Program Europe will be held in the Jamfabriek in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Jamfabriek is known as Home to the future of Food and is the place where food entrepreneurs innovate to change the future of the food industry together. The ideal location for our program.

By car
Are you coming by car? Parking is possible on the Jamfabriek’s own parking lot. Jamfabriek is located about an hour’s drive from Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and an hour and a half from Antwerp, Brussels, Aachen, Liège.

By public transport
From Central Station ‘s-Hertogenbosch, take bus 5 towards Engelen Haverlij. From the station it takes about ten minutes to get to Jamfabriek. The bus stop (at Makro) to get off is right across from Jamfabriek.

Yes. There is an elevator that can take you to every floor. The toilets on the ground floor in building A are accessible for disabled people.

Please be aware that the fee includes only tuition. Lodging and travel expenses are NOT included. The Olive Oil Academy team will suggest lodging near the course venue a few months before the program. We recommend refraining from finalizing airfare and lodging arrangements until one month before the course in case there are unforeseen changes to the schedule.

If you cancel your enrolment at least 30 days before the course date, a refund will be returned to the original form of payment minus a administrative fee of Eur 125. If we cancel the course or any reason, you will receive a full refund. If the course is postponed or rescheduled, you can maintain your enrolment or receive a full refund.

You can review a schedule for a typical five-day sommelier program. This sample schedule provides a general sense of the pace and structure of the course. The final schedule and faculty roster will be released a few week before the course
begins.

The Olive Oil Academy works closely with the Olive Oil Times Education Lab
instructors who are renowned experts in sensory assessment, cultivation and
production, health, marketing and culinary applications.

You will taste samples from every region in the World. Program participants will analyze over 100 olive oils in instructor-guided tastings, benefitting from exposure to a boundless array of varietals and sensory profiles.

The program offers a Certificate of Completion to participants who successfully meet the established criteria. The decision to award the Certificate is merit-based, contingent upon the participation’s performance and achievement throughout the program.

When the European Course has reached its maximum enrolment capacity, you can still have the opportunity to participate by joining the waiting list.
Complete the waitlist form, and you’ll be in line for available open spots. By submitting your information, you’re expressing your interest in the course and allowing The Olive Oil Academy to contact your when there’s an opening. You will receive an email notification and a 24-hour window to enrol if a spot becomes available.

Various groups offer other educational sommelier courses that issue their certificates of completion. There is no governing body nor international recognition for such credentials, per se. The Certificate indicates that you completed the program and testing. The vast majority of participants have done well in the final evaluations because the comprehensive instruction provides the necessary preparations. What you do with the experience gained from the course is up to you. Those who have attended the program have gone on to embark on meaningful projects, improve their business and teach others.

A laptop computer is recommended. All other materials will be provided. The Olive Oil Academy support team will be in touch with helpful information in the weeks leading up to your course date.