This is a Vintage episode from 2006.

Why This Episode Matters

Why guests who are not drinking deserve a beverage experience equal to the food, not simply still or sparkling water.
How sommeliers can build non-alcoholic pairings using the same principles as wine: weight, acidity, texture and flavor.
Why thoughtful glassware and presentation communicate that every guest matters.
How one memorable beverage program can turn the non-drinker into the person who chooses the restaurant for the entire table.

The Conversation

Mark Pascal and Francis Schott are joined by Master Sommelier Paul Roberts, then director of wine and beverages for Thomas Keller’s restaurants, including The French Laundry, Per Se and Bouchon.

Paul explains how a lunch at The French Laundry changed his thinking about non-alcoholic beverages. When a knowledgeable 12-year-old diner was offered little beyond water, Paul improvised a beverage pairing and began developing a program for children and anyone who simply preferred not to drink alcohol.

The conversation explores house-made tonic, teas, infusions, grape juices and less-sweet sodas. Paul explains why non-alcoholic pairings should be approached like wine pairings, matching the weight and flavors of a beverage to the dish. He also shares one of the program’s more unexpected combinations: artisanal root beer with foie gras.

They discuss the importance of ingredients, glassware and presentation, along with the business case for taking non-drinkers seriously. A single guest who feels genuinely considered may be the person who brings the entire party back.

It is a remarkably current conversation about hospitality, inclusion and the rise of sophisticated non-alcoholic drinking recorded years before the modern no- and low-alcohol movement took hold.

Guest Bio

Paul Roberts was the director of wine and beverages for Thomas Keller’s restaurant group, overseeing programs at The French Laundry, Per Se and Bouchon, as well as a team of 14 full-time sommeliers. A Master Sommelier, Paul became known not only for world-class wine service but also for pioneering thoughtful non-alcoholic beverage pairings.

Timestamps

00:00 Paul Roberts and the origins of the non-alcoholic pairing program
07:35 House-made tonic and treating cocktails like serious cuisine
10:20 Teas, infusions, grape juices and foie gras with root beer
17:25 Why glassware matters for guests who are not drinking
19:25 The non-drinker who may choose the restaurant for the whole table
23:00 Dry sodas, quality over sweetness and becoming “the soda sommelier”
27:00 Last recommendation for non-alc pairing with lobster

Info

Beverages and producers mentioned: Navarro Vineyards grape juice, Boylan’s, Sprecher root beer

Grown Up Soda https://drinkgus.com/

Dry Soda https://drinkdry.com/

Elderflower syrup https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/food/Nikolaihof-Hollunderbluten-Sirup-No-Alcohol-w4694002sy

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Non-Alcoholic Pairings at Thomas Keller’s Restaurants | Paul Roberts

The Restaurant Guys

Non-Alcoholic Pairings at Thomas Keller’s Restaurants | Paul Roberts