Jordan HortiFuture Project, JOPEA hold Ancient Olive Oil Cooking Competition

AMMAN — The Jordanian Olive Products Exporters Association (JOPEA) and Mercy Corps’ Jordan HortiFuture project jointly organised the Ancient Olive Oil Cooking Competition.

Held at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts on Sunday and Monday, this engaging event highlighted the importance of preserving and promoting the heritage of ancient Jordanian olive oil, according to a Mercy Corps statement. 

The competition featured exclusively women participants chosen from the Jordanian Women’s Olive Network, a group of specialists including olive product producers, farmers, agricultural engineers, tasters, chefs and more. Their shared goal is to champion the premium extra virgin olive oil culture, celebrating its medicinal and culinary significance, the statement said.

Throughout the competition, the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts offered guidance, competition guidelines and oversight of the delectable dishes crafted by these talented participants using “Ateek” ancient olive oil. 

The competition outcomes were as follows: Omaima Mohammad Jarwan (1st place), Fatima Ali Al Dawood (2nd place) and Feryal Mahmoud Al Koufe (3rd place).

Fayad Al Ziyoud, president of JOPEA, reaffirmed the association’s dedication to discovering effective marketing avenues for Jordanian olive oil, particularly the revered ancient olive oil. 

“This competition shines a spotlight on the historical and cultural value of this remarkable oil, enabling it to compete both on local and international stages,” he said.

The HortiFuture Program, led by Mercy Corps in partnership with Wageningen University & Research and Advance Consulting and funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, aims to strengthen the broader horticulture sector across the whole value chain and improve the income opportunities and longer-term resilience of smallholder farmers in Balqa, Irbid, Ajloun and the Jordan Valley.