The biggest game changer is actually just using a cooking oil - there are plenty of alternatives that will have absolutely no impact on the final taste... and olive oil actually has a relatively low smoke point compared to other cooking oils.
If olive oil was just used for flavoring, emulsification and dipping bread in we'd have a huge over supply - too many people were raised on "Drizzle some olive oil in your pan before heating".
If olive oil was just used for flavoring, emulsification and dipping bread in we'd have a huge over supply - too many people were raised on "Drizzle some olive oil in your pan before heating".