High in Oman’s Hajar Mountains, the olive harvest is a celebration of place, season and tradition. As Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort prepares for its fifth annual Olive Harvest Festival, Executive Chef Henrico Grobbelaar shares what inspires him about the mountain’s produce and why experiencing an ingredient at its source can transform the way we taste it. There are some places that reveal themselves through their flavours.
At more than 2,000 metres above sea level, Jabal Al Akhdar is one of them. Known as Oman’s Green Mountain, its rare Mediterranean-style climate allows olive trees to flourish among its terraces and orchards, with the September harvest bringing the landscape to life.
A seven-time Olympic medallist and former San Pellegrino International Young Chef of the World, Chef Henrico brings a deep respect for ingredients and a passion for cooking rooted in place. At Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, he draws inspiration from the mountain, its seasonal produce and the people who nurture its agricultural traditions.
From 23 to 27 September 2026, the five-day festival invites guests to experience the olive journey through harvesting, tastings, cooking classes, local producers and destination dining.
We caught up with Chef Henrico to discover what makes Oman’s olive season so special and why some of the most memorable flavours begin long before they reach the table.
What first caught your attention about the olive harvest at Jabal Al Akhdar?
Chef Henrico: For me, it is the fact that you can actually see where everything begins. You walk through the olive trees, touch the fruit, watch it being harvested and speak to the people who have cared for these trees. Suddenly, the olive is no longer just an ingredient in your kitchen. It has a story. That is what I find so exciting about being here. The mountain, the climate, the people and the season all become part of what you eventually taste on the plate.
How has Jabal Al Akhdar influenced the way you cook?
Chef Henrico: When you are surrounded by this landscape, it becomes very difficult to ignore seasonality. You see what is growing, you meet the people producing it and you start thinking about how little you actually need to do to a great ingredient. The altitude and climate give the produce here a very distinctive character. My role is not to hide that. It is to understand it and allow it to speak for itself. When a guest tastes something here, I want them to feel that they could not have experienced that exact flavour anywhere else.
This year’s festival also welcomes guest chef Martín Aristondo from Spain’s Basque Region. What are you looking forward to sharing with him?
Chef Henrico: I always enjoy bringing chefs together because you learn so much from each other. Martín comes from a very strong culinary culture and I am curious to see how he approaches the ingredients we have here. There is something exciting about bringing together his Basque and Spanish influences with the produce of Jabal Al Akhdar. It is not about trying to make the cuisines the same. It is about seeing what happens when two different perspectives meet.
Guests will be able to experience this through our opening Italian and Spanish dinner as well as the Spanish cooking experiences. For me, that exchange is what makes a festival like this special.
One of the highlights is the Olive Heritage Tour and Tasting with Dr Ali Al Furqani. What makes this experience particularly meaningful?
Chef Henrico: It takes you beyond simply tasting the oil. Dr Ali has such a wealth of knowledge about Oman’s olive heritage, and that gives guests a much deeper understanding of what they are tasting. Then you visit the local olive oil press and see what happens after the harvest. I love that part because you can follow the entire journey. You start with the tree, you meet the people, you see the fruit being transformed at the press and eventually you taste the result. Once you have seen all of that, you never look at a bottle of olive oil in quite the same way again.
Why do you think seeing the olive press changes the experience?
Chef Henrico: Because it makes the process tangible. In a kitchen, you normally receive the finished ingredient. You open the bottle, taste it and start cooking. At the press, you see how much work and care goes into getting there. You understand the fruit, the process and the people behind it. For a chef, that is incredibly valuable because it gives you a completely different respect for what you are putting on the plate.
The festival also features Olive Tales at Breakfast. What do you enjoy about an experience like this?
Chef Henrico: I like that it is very informal. You are having breakfast, enjoying your coffee and starting your day and at the same time someone is telling you a story about the place you are visiting. Food does not always have to be complicated. Sometimes it is simply about sitting at a table, tasting something and having someone explain why it matters. You remember those moments because they are connected to how you felt at the time.
And then there is the Olive and Olive Oil Souk. What would you encourage guests to explore?
Chef Henrico: Take your time. Talk to the producers, taste things, ask questions and discover something you have never tried before. What I particularly enjoy is that the Souk gives you a glimpse beyond the resort. We are celebrating not only what we can create in our kitchens, but the people and small producers who make this region what it is. That connection is very important to me.
What does cooking with local and seasonal ingredients mean to you personally?
Chef Henrico: It gives food a sense of place. I have cooked in many different parts of the world, and every destination has its own personality. The ingredients are a big part of that. Here, I am still discovering. Every season brings something new, and that keeps me curious. You cannot simply rely on what you did somewhere else. You have to look around you, understand what the mountain is giving you and ask yourself how you can make the most of it. That is what I enjoy most about cooking here.
What would you like guests to take away from this year’s festival?
Chef Henrico: I hope they leave with a little more curiosity. Perhaps they taste an olive oil they have never tried before, meet a producer, learn something about Oman or discover a new way of cooking with an ingredient they already know. But more than anything, I hope they remember how it felt to be here. Food has that incredible ability to bring you back to a place. Years from now, you can taste something and suddenly remember the mountain, the people you were with, the view and the moment. If we can create that for our guests, then we have done something special.
Follow the Olive from Grove to Table
The fifth annual Olive Harvest Festival takes place from 23 to 27 September 2026, bringing together Omani olive heritage, local producers and Mediterranean-inspired gastronomy at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar.
Experiences start from OMR 10 per person for the Spanish cooking class, while selected lunches and dinners start from OMR 25 per person. Advance reservations are recommended as selected experiences have limited availability.
This September, follow the journey from grove to table and discover Oman through the flavours, stories and people of its mountain harvest.
