Background
Fil has followed his heart across a lifetime of exploring the globe, trusting his gut and taking cues from some unlikely places: a tour van crossing North America playing from punk rock venues to arena stages, making records and writing with the likes of Rob Cavallo and Dave Bassett; to receiving an Honors degree in Biomedical Sciences; making a documentary about his olive oil obsession and as the founder of Abandoned Grove, where he produces premium extra virgin oil from rejuvenated groves, raising awareness of extra virgin olive oil while supporting the community and environment.
For the Bucchino family, olive oil has always been an obsession. With parents, doctors, and health and dietary specialists, the elder Bucchinos were among the first to champion the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and its philosophies to Canadians, promoting healthy living in the early 90s. Before immigrating to Canada in the late 80s, they travelled extensively, leaving Florence, Italy and setting up homes in Venezuela and Somalia.
In his hometown of Toronto, he hosts events, including the annual "Festa dell' Olio" to celebrate the harvest and the arrival of the new extra virgin olive oil, along with olive oil-centric dinners with renowned restaurants Enoteca Sociale, Lucia, and Tutti Matti. These dinners focus on pairing Fil's oil with dishes, from appetizers to desserts, and teaching and celebrating the often-unappreciated art of olive oil production. His olive oil was also the featured centre-piece for one of the famed Charlie's Burgers dinners with celebrity chef Dario Cecchini. Today, in addition to his Toronto-based activities, Fil is a steady fixture at international olive oil competitions and a sought-after speaker and collaborator with global institutions. He has guided countless olive oil tastings and lent his expertise to books on the subject, further cementing his reputation as a thought leader.
"We have this misconception that all olive oil is created equal," says Bucchino. "Often considered an invisible ingredient and misclassified as a staple or condiment, but in truth, there is a whole world to it (just like wine or cheese), depending on the type of olive, where it was grown, the climate, how it was harvested, extracted, transported and stored. All largely determines its sensory profile and health benefits."
To Bucchino, olive oil is a fresh and seasonal ingredient that can chemically change itself and a dish when in contact with other ingredients. However, one of the critical differences between wine and olive oil is that it doesn't age very well, so you wouldn't do well bidding at an auction for vintage oil. The key is to recognize that when well-produced, the fresher and younger the oil, the better and more valuable it should be. He believes it should belong to the grocery store's produce section, not on a shelf, along with staples and condiments.
"It is this lack of public information and misconceptions of tradition and quality that often make room for fraud, and it is this fraud that causes many farmers to abandon their groves as their production costs are two and three times the resale cost."