Context #1
John: Who are you going to choose for the front desk staff position?
Wick: I’m not sure yet. Both candidates are smart, but neither can cut the mustard.
John: You have to pick one of them though, right?
Wick: Not if they can’t meet our standards.
Context #2
Paulie: I’m not worried about next week’s competition at all.
Adrian: Why? You should never underestimate the abilities of an opponent.
Paulie: I know someone who’s been watching that team, and they say that their skills will never cut the mustard versus our team.
Adrian: Well if they can’t meet the expectations of the competition, they’re going to have a difficult time with our team.
Meaning: The expression "Cut the mustard" means to measure up to the standard or meet the expectation of something. (Usually this involves a set of skills, qualifications, and experiences).
