The Condiment Alex Guarnaschelli 'Can't Function Without'

Many of us have that one condiment that we like to keep on hand whenever possible for one reason or another. While I need a bottle of A1, the very best store-bought steak sauce, in my fridge at all times, Alex Guarnaschelli is more reliant on Dijon mustard than any other sauce or condiment you can think of. The Iron Chef revealed her love of Dijon mustard in an interview with Mashed, citing the bold variety as her absolute favorite ingredient overall. 

"I cannot function without a jar of Dijon mustard. I'm lost," Guarnaschelli admitted. "I know that's weird. I know some people would say some good olive oil or salt, or whatever. No — for me it's mustard." Despite the chef's understanding that her love of Dijon mustard might be seen as strange, she's actually in quite good company. Former president Barack Obama has been known to enjoy Dijon mustard on his hamburgers — a choice that was considered just as controversial as Obama's medium-well steak order.

As for practical uses of Dijon mustard, Guarnaschelli doesn't directly point to spreading it on sandwiches or burgers, though we're sure she wouldn't be opposed. She actually uses it as a key ingredient in many of her favorite recipes. "For example, slather it on chicken and roast it. You can make a vinaigrette," Guarnaschelli advised. "You can thicken anything with it because it has lecithin, a natural thickener."

Guarnaschelli added that, ultimately, the bold taste and thick consistency of Dijon mustard make it a must for such a wide variety of dishes. "I've used it in a spice cake, barbecue sauce, you name it," the chef admitted. "If you're eating something I made, it probably has Dijon mustard in it — except for ice cream, maybe." Though she didn't reveal which brand of Dijon mustard she prefers, videos of the chef using the condiment indicate that she typically opts for Grey Poupon. While Guarnaschelli doesn't have a recipe for Dijon mustard ice cream just yet, a collaboration between Grey Poupon and Van Leeuwen did just that back in 2022.

Static Media owns and operates both Mashed and The Takeout.