Maria Loi

Maria Loi is an internationally respected authority on wellness and the Mediterranean diet, a celebrated chef, a successful businesswoman, and a steadfast supporter of philanthropic causes around the world.

A former top ten lobbyist in Europe, her government and media relations consulting and lobbying clients have included Net Med International (Film Net), Super Channel International, ITT Corporation (ITT Sheraton and ITT Caesars), and Nokia Telecommunications among many others.

After leaving her lobbying career over 20 years ago, she chose to return to her roots and focus on health, wellness, and especially longevity – well ahead of her time. She is the founder of Loi Brand, Loi Food Products, and the Loi-Approved program, the namesake of Loi Estiatorio in Manhattan, and the author of over 36 cookbooks.

Loi is the host of the award-winning series, The Life of Loi: Mediterranean Secrets on PBS, which won the international Telly Award the past three years for Best Food & Beverage Television Series, and Best Chef in a Series from the 15th annual Taste Awards. The series aims to build an inspirational and educational movement around the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle – from ancient to modern, food to culture and everything in between. Season three of The Life of Loi, featuring Abu Dhabi, premiered in May 2025 on broadcast on National Public Television stations across North America, and streaming on PBS Passport; coming soon to streaming services on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Freevee, Roku, and Plex TV.

Loi’s mission in life is simple: subscribing to THE LOI motto – Tasty, Healthy, Easy – Live On It – Loi is out to change the world one healthy bite at a time.