Looking for a fun and delicious activity to do with your child or even a fun parents only outing? Buck Russell’s in Wilmette recently hosted me, my daughter, and three other mother-daughter duos to a cupcake decorating class—and it was a truly special experience! From gourmet sandwiches to hands-on pastry lessons, here’s everything you need to know about this delightful outing.
1) First Impressions: Prepare for that “Throw Back” Feel
Walking into this whimsical lunch spot to start was a treat in and of itself. Buck Russell’s calls on the feel of a cozy upscale diner adorned with vintage signs, wall paper to illicite memories past and an interior both warm and embracing that will delight the senses even before you order your meal. All the feels with gourmet food!
Pastry Chef Bobbi Ellis stands in front of her beautiful creations in the bakery side of Buck Russell’s. Check out the menu behind her!
2) A Crafty Start: Decorating our Aprons
Walking into the space, we found a stack of crisp white aprons, trays filled with fabric markers, and stencils to begin personalizing what would later serve to be a nice barrier between the brightly colored frostings and… our clothes. I really appreciated the stencils because it took away the pressure of coming up with, and worrying about failing miserably at art to start. The stencils kept everything look cute!
3) Filling our Bellies: Lunch at Buck Russell’s
Before we got to the sweet part, we enjoyed a delicious lunch featuring a few of Buck Russell’s best menu items:
Gourmet Sandwiches – Fresh, flavorful, and packed with high-quality ingredients: Johnny Two Times and the Caprese
Crispy Chicken Tenders – A kid-favorite with the perfect crunch
Kale & Asparagus Salad – A refreshing and healthy option that balanced out our meal
The food was just as enjoyable as the experience itself!
4) The Main Event: Cupcake Decorating with Pastry Chef Bobbi Ellis
After lunch, we moved into the cupcake decorating portion of the 1-1/2 hour experience where pastry chef Bobbi Ellis, who began her career as a culinary specialist in the United States Navy, guided us through various piping techniques. She is not only skilled but also incredibly patient, making it easy for all skill levels to participate. I had so much fun with the frosting, maybe eating a little along the way. Having said that I think I’ll keep my day job haha! Here’s what we went over:
For this private experience we had selected the theme of galentine’s ahead of time since Valentine’s Day was just a few days prior to our date. Chef Bobbi focused on teaching us simple flowers, outlining piping tip numbers (like the 102 for creating a rose) as well as hand position. Oh! And we all received 6 “naked” cupcakes, each of a different flavor to decorate – lemon, vanilla, yellow, chocolate, confetti and red velvet.
5) The Gift: A Very Special & Memorable Experience
This cupcake decorating class was the perfect way to spend quality time with our daughters while learning a brand new skill. It’s a fantastic activity for birthday parties, a special outing, team building with a work group or just a special treat. You can see all there is to offer by heading to https://buckrussells.com/workshops/. There, you’ll find a few preset dates as well as the option to book a private class, food and beverage upgrades and a wine and beer package for the grownups.
What I loved most about this experience was, of course, was the bonding time with my teen who generally is busy with friends and activities now. And what I loved equally as much was seeing the pure joy from the girls who were so proud of themselves for their artistic work. Without sounding super cheesy, it really filled my heart.
If you’re looking for a hands-on, unique experience on the North Shore, Buck Russell’s cupcake decorating class is a must! Upcoming March classes are March 8, 2025 International Women’s Day, and March 15, 2025 St Patrick’s Day themes.
Be sure to check out their menu AND their next door cousin Pizza by Sal, open seven days a week starting at 3pm. And guess what?! Pizza by Sal offers pizza making experiences on weekdays during the evening hours. So I guess we know where we’ll be heading on our next outing!
More on the fascinating background of Evanston mom, Chef Bobbi Ellis:
Chef Bobbi Ellis was a culinary specialist in the United States Navy. There she had many roles including night baker where she developed her love for baking and pastry. She’s mostly self-taught when it comes to cake decorating and worked from home for many years developing recipes and making cakes and desserts for family, friends and neighbors. She worked for six years as the lead cake decorator and assistant pastry chef At Beth’s Little Bakeshop in Evanston before coming to Buck Russell’s. Chef Bobbi is passionate about teaching and sharing her love of all things pastry and decorating
*This experiential review is brought to you by me, Ellie Ander, cofounder and site curator of Chicago North Shore Moms. I received this experience for free in exchange for my honest review.
