Booze-free pairings take off in fine-dining restaurants in Singapore

This alternative to wine pairing swaps out reds and whites for jazzed-up juices and teas.

Cheong Kamei
January 2020

As diners become more health-conscious, fine-dining restaurants in Singapore have started offering non-alcoholic pairings. Chip Steel, sommelier of Preludio, talks about the creative process behind a booze-free drinks programme.

It starts with a deep understanding of the dishes

“We hope to find flavour profiles that help to accentuate the food or highlight a certain ingredient. Sometimes, it’s also about rounding out a dish. For example, extra acidity in the drink can help to tone down a rich element on the plate. It’s only when the drink completes the dish that we know we have gotten it right”

It follows the same guiding principles as wine pairings

“Since I have a background in wine, I approach non-alcoholic pairings in ‘wine terms’. By that, I mean I’m concerned with the ways in which we can bring acidity into the pairing through fruits or kombucha, structure and tannin with a certain tea or a layer of complexity with a syrup.”

Teas are incredibly versatile starting points

“My favourite type of pairings are tea-based mocktails — teas already have beautiful aromatics and a tannic structure that is gastronomically-friendly.”