Background

Fil Bucchino has followed his instincts across a lifetime of exploration, moving between worlds that at first glance seem unlikely companions. From touring North America in a punk band and making records with producers such as Rob Cavallo and Dave Bassett, to earning an Honours degree in Biomedical Sciences, to producing an award-winning documentary about olive oil, his path has been shaped by curiosity, discipline, and a relentless pursuit of craft.

Today, Bucchino is an internationally recognized extra virgin olive oil expert, professional taster, producer, and the founder of Abandoned Grove, where he produces extra virgin olive oil from rejuvenated groves while raising awareness of the importance of olive oil to culture, community, and the environment.

For the Bucchino family, olive oil has always been part of daily life. With parents who were doctors and health specialists, the elder Bucchinos were among the early advocates promoting the benefits of the Mediterranean diet to Canadians in the early 1990s. Before immigrating to Canada in the late 1980s, the family travelled extensively, leaving Florence, Italy, and living for periods in Venezuela and Somalia before settling in Toronto.

Bucchino’s own journey into olive oil began through curiosity and quickly evolved into a lifelong pursuit. What started as an obsession with understanding quality led him into professional tasting, international judging, culinary collaborations, and the creation of the documentary Obsessed with Olive Oil, a film dedicated to sharing the craft and passion behind properly produced extra virgin olive oil.

Today, he is a sought-after speaker and collaborator, guiding tastings and lectures worldwide and serving as a judge at international olive oil competitions. Through these activities, he works to expand consumer awareness and appreciation of high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

In Toronto, he regularly hosts events celebrating the harvest and the arrival of the new oil, including the annual Festa dell’Olio and olive oil-focused dinners with renowned restaurants. These gatherings explore the role of extra virgin olive oil across the entire meal, from appetizers to desserts, highlighting the craft and complexity of an ingredient that is often overlooked.

“We have this misconception that all olive oil is created equal,” says Bucchino. “Often considered an invisible ingredient and placed in the condiment aisle of the grocery store, but in reality, there is a whole world to it, just like wine or cheese. The type of olive, where it was grown, the climate, how it was harvested, extracted, transported and stored all determine its sensory profile and its health benefits.”

To Bucchino, olive oil is a fresh and seasonal ingredient that can transform both itself and the dish it touches. Unlike wine, however, olive oil does not age well. The fresher and younger a well-produced oil is, the more valuable it should be. For that reason, he believes olive oil belongs closer to the produce section rather than alongside long-shelf staples and condiments.

“It is this lack of public information and the misconceptions around tradition and quality that often make room for fraud,” he says. “And it is that fraud that forces many farmers to abandon their groves when their production costs are two or three times higher than the resale price.”