For some, being a professional taster might seem like a dream job. Yet for Orietta Gianjorio, sampling food and beverages is a challenging and technical field—a big part of which is educating consumers about what they should, and shouldn’t, be eating. 

Gianjorio was born in Italy and spent her childhood going to markets. Picking up, smelling and tasting ingredients was just a part of daily life, so when she moved to the U.S. eight years ago—after falling in love with (and later marrying) an American—she was surprised by how little people here seemed to understand about the importance of quality when it comes to food. 

Gianjorio now evaluates food and beverage quality for numerous organizations, including the California Olive Oil Council, the Applied Sensory Panel, UC Davis, and the Mondavi Center. And although she’d always been a wine aficionado (she became a third-level sommelier while still in Italy), since coming to the U.S., she’s expanded her culinary repertoire to include honey, chocolate (she has a second-level chocolate taster certificate) and olive oil (she’s part of the Italian Registry of Olive Oil Experts). Gianjorio is especially passionate about bringing more awareness regarding the health benefits of consuming high-quality food and regularly offers cooking classes at the Murer House and Learning Center, where a core component is teaching people to taste and smell ingredients before using them. “I want to teach everything I know to consumers, so they can go out and make good choices for themselves and their families.”   

By Amber Foster // Photos by Dante Fontana © Style Media Group

Q&A

Be confident and believe in yourself.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Unkindness and pompous attitudes.

Are you high or low maintenance?
Both. I can be ready in less than five minutes and pack a suitcase for a six-week trip to Italy, but I also would like to have someone pump my gas.

Biggest life inspirations?
The way my mom and dad started from nothing after World War II in Italy and created everything on their own; also, the wonderful marriage they have.

What’s next?
Taking my final test to become one of only two people in the U.S. (and the only one on the West Coast) to be certified as a honey sensory evaluation expert.

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