What’s It Like to Be a Mustard Sommelier?
Matchmaking at the Maille boutique is a mustard lover's dream job
Photo courtesy of Filip Wolak PhotographyStepping into a Maille boutique is a gourmet’s dream: mustard on tap. The store’s elegance permeates with every fancy detail: the golden crest, the custom mustard bar, and the beautiful mustard sommelier. It might be what would happen if Willy Wonka and Miuccia Prada had a baby.
Founded in Marseille, France by Antoine Maille, La Maison Maille has been making mustard and vinegar for over two centuries. Antoine became the official Vinegar Maker and Distiller to the King of France, and was bestowed with the coat of arms that is the emblem of the Maille brand. Maille’s first boutique opened in Paris in 1747, and their traditional stoneware jars (hand painted and made in France) are not only fancy and historic—the reusability of these jars fits well with an eco-friendly lifestyle.
In December 2014, Maille marked its territory in New York with its first non-European store, and hired Pierette Huttner as their mustard sommelier and brand ambassador.
Yes, you heard correctly: a mustard sommelier. Someone who knows so much about mustard, she can introduce you to crazy concoctions. Huttner, a New York native and lifelong Maille user, gets pretty creative with her mustard pairings. The Maille Wholegrain Chardonnay Mustard on Tap paired with Scottish salmon lox and poached quail egg was delightfully savory. But the most surprising pairing was the dessert: a chocolate éclair with Maille Mustard with white wine, pistachio and orange. That slight mustard hint was a surprise to the palate, and truly made the sweet soar.
We talked to Huttner about what it takes to be a mustard matchmaker.
Paste: The éclair was surprising.
Pierette Huttner: It is, it is. We have so many mustards that are fantastic for desserts. That’s one aspect I really like to speak to because it’s so unusual. It’s interesting, and it’s exactly what you do not expect when you walk into a Maille boutique is to go home with a mustard for dessert. We love the unexpected.
Paste: I’ve heard of wine sommeliers, tea sommeliers. You’re the first mustard sommelier I’ve ever heard of, and had the immense honor of meeting.
PH: A mustard sommelier is a role you can only have with Maille. I started last summer in this position. Most of my work experience is in retail. As a mustard sommelier, I got to combine my own passion for food and for cooking with my professional background. The first thing I did when I was hired was that I got on a plane. That’s exactly what happened, I was hired, and they were like, “Here’s your ticket.” And then I flew out literally the next day. I went on this whirlwind tour of Europe. I spent time in the stores in Dijon, Burgundy, Paris, in London. I worked with all the teams in the different stores and with their customers. It’s a very in-depth process.