Roberto Galetti, executive chef de cuisine at Garibaldi Italian Restaurant & Bar, has a personal mission – to bring Singaporeans on a gastronomic ‘tour’ to discover and appreciate the different varieties of olive oil, and the qualities they can impart to a dish.

That is why Chef Roberto has created an “Extra Virgin Olive Oil Menu”, specially for the World Gourmet Summit (WGS) 2008, which kicked off in Singapore on Monday.

In preparation for this, Chef Roberto has imported premium extra virgin olive oils from different regions of Italy, namely Sicilia, Puglia, Toscana, Liguria, Veneto, Lombardia and Molise.

Chef Roberto explains that like fine wine, climatic conditions, harvesting techniques, olive varietals and production processes affect the quality and the characteristics of each extra-virgin olive oil. For example, olive oils from Puglia and Sicilia are full-bodied and exuberant while Toscana olive oils have a fruity taste.

You can taste these differences for yourself during the week-long promotional menu at Garibaldi for the period of the WGS, which features individual dishes cooked with a different varietal of premium extra virgin olive oil. Garibaldi is also having a special activity on Wednesday – a 7-course dinner with wine pairing at $188++ per person. The olive oil gelato is a must-try.