Experiences

Every table tells a story.

Chef Justin Gomes brings the kitchen to you — private dinners, intimate pop-ups, and hands-on cooking classes rooted in Trinidad and refined at some of Chicago's most celebrated tables.

Hand pouring sauce glaze over prepared duck dish

Private Dining

Justin comes to you. He handles the groceries, the cooking, the plating, and the cleanup — you just show up at your own table. Whether it's a milestone anniversary, a client dinner, or a night you've been meaning to plan for months, this is the experience your guests will talk about.

In Your Home

  • A seasonal tasting menu, all ingredients and prep, full service through the meal, printed menus for each guest, and travel within Chicagoland. Justin arrives early to set up and stays to clean up — nothing is left for you to do.

  • Private Dinner for Two starts at $500. For larger groups, pricing is $200 per person. Final pricing may vary based on menu selections, specialty ingredients, and travel distance. A 50% deposit is required to hold your date.

  • Submit an inquiry through the booking form with your preferred date, party size, and any dietary needs. Justin's team will follow up within 48 hours to confirm availability and discuss your menu.

  • Justin works around dietary restrictions, allergies, and strong preferences. Note everything in the inquiry form — the more detail you give, the better the menu he can build.

A black plate with gnocchi, king crab pieces, green curry sauce, garnished with herbs, edible flowers, and petals.

Pop-Up Dinners

  • One seating. One menu. No choices to make — just show up and eat. Menus are seasonal and announced close to the event date. Past dinners have featured Justin's modern Caribbean tasting menu alongside collaborative guest chef nights.

  • Want to host a Buttercup pop-up for your own group? Full and partial event buyouts are available. Send a note through the booking form and Justin's team will be in touch.

  • Pop-up dates are announced to the email list first — often before they're posted anywhere else. Tickets sell out quickly. Joining the list is the most reliable way to get a seat.

Buttercup's pop-up dinners are a different kind of night out. A single seating, a prix-fixe menu built around what's in season, and a room full of people who came for the same reason you did. Justin cooks. Conversation happens. This is how Buttercup built its following — and how new guests find their way in.

Communal Table
A male chef in a white uniform with the name tag 'Justin Gomes, Chef de Cuisine' preparing food in a professional kitchen, with steam rising from the dish. 
Get in the Kitchen

Cooking Classes

Justin grew up in a kitchen where cooking was never intimidating — it was just what the family did. Every class starts from that same place: real technique, real food, and something you'll actually make again at home. Beginners welcome. Curiosity required.

  • Hands-on instruction from Chef Justin, all ingredients, printed recipe cards to take home, and a shared meal at the end of class. You cook it, you eat it.

  • Classes are available for private groups, birthday celebrations, bachelorette parties, and corporate team experiences. Minimum and maximum group sizes vary by class format. Reach out through the booking form for availability.

  • Nothing. Justin handles all ingredients and equipment. Just bring comfortable clothes you don't mind cooking in.

  • All classes are designed for home cooks, not culinary professionals. No experience needed — Justin builds from fundamentals regardless of where you're starting.

Several gift boxes and wrapping materials in neutral tones, with a gift card that reads "Special Gift For You" featuring yellow flowers. 
For the Ones Worth Celebrating

Gift Cards

Not a generic gift card — an invitation to something real. Choose a specific Buttercup experience and give it by name, or load a dollar amount and let your recipient design their own evening. Either way, Justin's team handles everything from confirmation to coordination.

  • Submit an inquiry through the booking form and select "Gift an Experience" as your experience type. Justin's team will reach out to confirm details and coordinate directly with your recipient to schedule their experience.

  • Any Buttercup experience is giftable as a named gift: a private dinner for two, a cooking class, or a family celebration. When you submit, note who the gift is for, the occasion, and any preferences — dietary needs, favorite flavors, or a date you'd like the experience to fall before. Justin's team will coordinate directly with your recipient.

  • Prefer to let your recipient choose? Gift cards are available in any denomination. Your recipient redeems through the booking form and applies the gift value toward whichever experience they select. Any remaining balance can be applied to a future booking.

  • Anniversaries, milestone birthdays, client appreciation, holiday gifts, Mother's Day, Father's Day — any occasion works. If you have a specific date in mind or want the experience to land before a certain day, note it in the form and Justin's team will prioritize accordingly.