Episode 5: The Story of Ventiolivi

Last year, Michele Iorio gave me the most delicious olive oil I ever tasted. I was fresh off an overnight flight and had just stepped out of the shower when Arianna, my cousin and business partner, sent me a messagino to come say a quick hello to her friend. He, too, had a business with his American family.

Seeing my wet hair and tired eyes, Michele said, “I speak English!” which was a relief. He told me a little about his new olive oil company, Ventiolivi, which means twenty olives. Over one hundred years ago, his great-great uncle left Italy when he was just 16 years old to work in the Pennslyvania coal mines. He sent back money that allowed the family to purchase land with twenty olive trees and change their fates. Michele had stopped by Borgo La Pietraia to give samples to Arianna and Chef Mario Stellato, and he also gave me two small bottles.

Back home, I carefully rationed every drop of olive oil because not only did it taste brighter or fresher than anything I could buy in the US, but it also tasted like the herb-strewn land of Cilento—the place I love best and where my own family tree is rooted.

In this episode, I speak with Michele, who makes this olive oil from the thousands of olive trees that followed those first twenty. In June of 2024, we met again at Borgo La Pietraia to discuss his company and oleo tourism, which connects tourists with olive oil producers to have experiences similar to wine tastings and more deeply connect to Italy’s food culture. Michele is also a professor of oleo tourism at Università degli Studi Roma Tre.

Then, in August, I chatted with his American cousin, Michael Yorio. Michael met Michele when he traveled to Italy to run a half-marathon. He decided to go up in the hills and find his grandfather’s village. A local cop spent the afternoon digging through the village’s records and reconnected the family who had lost contact for decades. I spent the afternoon with Michael at The Cloisters in New York City, where you can hear birds chirping in the background.

I hope you will be inspired by this story, which taught me how beautiful life can be when you give attention and appreciation to the earth and all her gifts.