At the Culinary Innovators 2025, Tom Ieven and Fryns Distillery captured attention with their refined mocktail ALFRIE – Red Luv, awarded the prestigious Drinks Award by Gault&Millau. This alcohol-free creation is a benchmark in fine dining innovation: complex, balanced, refreshing, and entirely developed with a deep respect for culinary experience.
What started as a flavour-driven experiment with local apple juice has grown into a fully-fledged gastronomic product, one that clearly raises the bar for alcohol-free pairings. The Gault&Millau recognition is a well-deserved milestone in its journey.
The story began with an encounter between Tom Ieven and Yves Cuvelier of Domein Cuvelier, who introduced a unique apple juice made from Red Love apples, known for their vibrant red flesh and intense flavour. With his extensive background in gastronomy, Tom immediately saw the potential for a sophisticated mocktail. But how do you take such a product to a wider market?
That’s where Fryns Distillery stepped in. The collaboration wasn’t coincidental: Tom had already worked with Fryns products during his time at Hof van Cleve. What united them was a shared passion for flavour and a keen awareness of the growing demand for alcohol-free alternatives. Joining forces was the logical, and ultimately successful, next step.
Developing an alcohol-free drink that stands out for its balance, complexity, and subtlety is no easy feat. The aim was clear: to create a mocktail with enough depth to pair with gourmet dishes, without being overly sweet or too light in body. And all of that without relying on alcohol or sugar to add structure.
Thanks to Tom’s expertise and the artisanal craftsmanship of Fryns Distillery, the result achieved exactly that.
So, what makes ALFRIE – Red Luv truly unique? According to its creators, the secret lies in the combination of high-quality local ingredients, authentic craftsmanship, and the refined palate of chef Tom Ieven. The result, by their own definition, is a mocktail that is rich, refreshing, and perfectly balanced.
Each sip reveals new layers of flavour: from the fruity character of the Red Love apple to subtle spice notes and an elegant, dry finish. “We wanted to create an alcohol-free drink with the complexity and precision of a fine wine pairing,” they explain.
For them, ALFRIE is not a substitute, but a fully-fledged gastronomic experience that holds its own next to a carefully composed dish. A new reference point in the evolving world of alcohol-free pairings, and precisely what they set out to achieve.
Red Luv is just the beginning for ALFRIE. More flavours and variations are already in the pipeline, though Tom and Fryns are keeping the details under wraps for now. What is certain, however, is that every new product will remain rooted in the same principles: finesse, purity, and a distinctive taste experience for those who choose to drink mindfully.
The rise of alcohol-free pairings in fine dining is unmistakable. Where such options were once seen merely as alternatives, they are now fully integrated into the culinary experience. Both Tom and Fryns confirm that guests are increasingly making conscious choices, driven by health, well-being, and a desire for thoughtful consumption.
That’s why, for them, it’s essential that alcohol-free pairings never feel like a compromise. They should be just as exciting, layered, and memorable as their alcoholic counterparts. ALFRIE proves that this is not only possible, it’s the future.
Receiving the Culinary Innovators Drinks Award just two months after launch is a meaningful recognition for both partners. “We are truly honoured,” they say. “We spent a year and a half perfecting the recipe. To be recognised so quickly, especially by a respected name like Gault&Millau, was beyond anything we imagined.”
With ALFRIE – Red Luv, Tom Ieven and Fryns Distillery are setting a new standard in the alcohol-free segment: a product with depth, vision, and ambition, perfectly aligned with the future of fine dining.
