Tomato Taste Testing: Become a Tommelier
By Michelle Fabio
You’ve heard of certified wine experts called sommeliers, so why not tommeliers—professional tomato tasters?
Well as The Guardian reports, the UK has its first tommelier in Paolo Battistel, who consults for the Pizza Express chain.
Battistel grew up near Venice, Italy and learned everything he knows about tomatoes from (who else?) his grandmother.
Now he runs a so-called “tomato school” near Lake Garda in northern Italy with classes on growing tomatoes.
Battistel’s main advice to Pizza Express?
Every three months, buy a different kind of tomato, ensuring that they’re using the best tomato available at any given time. And that’s a lesson that any restaurant owner can use.
So how do you become a tommelier?
Well I’m not sure there is another one in world besides Battistel, so you may want to start by finding yourself an Italian grandmother who grows tomatoes. To read more about Battistel’s tomato-tasting technique, check out Why tomato tasting is a plum job in The Guardian.
Do you know of any other tommeliers?
October 24th, 2008 at 8:41 am
No, that’s a new one to me.
But I can’t imagine a better job!
October 24th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I’m with you Nancy
November 6th, 2008 at 5:46 am
Forgot to add, love the photo here, Reggie
November 6th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Many thanks Michelle. I took this photo a year ago, and it only made sense to post when I read your article
November 6th, 2008 at 9:53 am
I love when the universe works so well