From cooking classes to a grocery store patio, the Naperville Liquor Commission signed off Thursday on new and expanded alcohol service for three businesses.
Clarify Kitchen
For the past four years, Cynthia Hyett has been building out a permanent space for her catering company BusyButternut.
The third-generation Naperville resident has operated her catering company since 2005. When she wasn’t working long hours as a software engineer, she was preparing charcuterie boards and baby burgers for customers through her home kitchen. For years, she worked without a website and had a steady stream of customers through word-of-mouth.
But that all changed when her business exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic. As restaurants shut down and people could not go out, Hyett started making “comfort kits” — family meals that included a main dish, two sides and a dessert.
“We started driving around town, and we ended up doing like 30 or 40 meals a day, and it was my sweet elderly mom and dad who were my delivery drivers,” Hyett said.
Even when the lockdown lifted and restaurants started reopening, people still wanted Hyett’s family meals.
“Nobody wanted software, but everybody wanted food. So I quit my software job … and I decided to go for this full force,” she said.
Alex Valadez makes mini beef Wellingtons at Clarify Kitchen by BusyButternut Catering on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (Carolyn Stein/Naperville Sun)
When she told people of her plan to build a permanent kitchen for BusyButternut, many people asked her if they could also use the space to host parties and take cooking classes.
Rather than building a small ghost kitchen for BusyButternut, Hyett decided to go bigger. The result was Clarify Kitchen, a 5,000-square-foot venue at 1701 Quincy Ave. that now serves as the catering company’s home base while also hosting cooking classes and private events.
On Thursday, the Liquor Commissoin recommended the Naperville City Council approve a Class M liquor license for the business so alcohol can be sold during adult cooking classes.
“I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying your products a number of times and you did an excellent job,” Commissioner Steve Chirico told Hyett and Clarify Kitchen’s bar manager Ruben Valadez.
For Hyett, the process has been a long time in the making. Quitting her comfortable, high-paying engineering job was daunting and seeing restaurants like Miskatonic Brewing close down didn’t help, she said. But getting to pursue what she loves combined with the support she has received from the community has made her feel like it’s been worth it.
“Now I can confidently say it’s been a four-year journey to get here, but it’s been amazing,” Hyett said. “And it’s extremely rewarding. It’s a lot of time and a lot of money, and I just get to build it.”
Taste Buds Kitchen
A Taste Buds Kitchen proposed for Naperville is one step closer to setting up shop.
The franchise that provides cooking classes to adults and children received approval for a Class M liquor license at Thursday’s meeting.
Jackie Burton, franchisee of the Naperville location, approached the commission last month with her proposal. Serving alcohol at her location for the adult classes would help make the business more appealing to customers, Burton previously told the Naperville Sun.
Because other Taste Buds locations either sell alcohol or have a bring your own beverage model, which is not allowed in Naperville, Burton had to seek a liquor license to sell drinks at her establishment.
Due to the business’ close proximity to a day care facility coming to Naperville, commissioners at the January meeting were unsure if Taste Buds could sell alcohol at its proposed 620 N. River Road location.
Under city ordinances, the sale of alcohol within 100 feet of a school is prohibited, although exceptions can be made by the Liquor Commission. State law also has restrictions on the sale of alcohol within 100 feet, but there are exceptions for businesses where the sale of alcohol is not the primary purpose.
Senior Assistant City Attorney Jennifer Bonner said Thursday that she determined Taste Buds would not be violating state law by selling alcohol.
The request will head to the council for final approval.
Heinen’s outdoor patio
Patrons of Heinen’s grocery store will soon be able to enjoy a beer or glass of wine on the market’s outdoor patio.
The Liquor Commission voted to amend Heinen’s Class G2 liquor license to allow customers to consume alcoholic beverages on its patio space, which is connected to the market’s cafe area through sliding doors. Currently, the consumption of craft beer and wine is allowed in the cafe area, but not on the patio.
While the commission approved amending the license, the change is contingent on the installation of a camera and a potential fence requirement, pending review from the city’s Transportation, Engineering and Development department.
Heinen’s amended liquor license approval needs city council approval.
