She and Gabriel live in Framingham, where they run Sun Washed Farm, a three-quarter acre plot on their property that supplies vegetables in Buttercup’s dishes.įor now, Dora and Gabriel don’t have much time to do anything but tend to their restaurants and their kids. It’s where cleaning supplies are kept.įarm-to-table makes sense for Dora, because her passion is farming. Two features in the interior excite Dora – an original brick wall from the American Legion Building and a barn door that hides the less glamorous side of the restaurant business. Total seating capacity throughout is more than 100, and Buttercup has a 10-year lease in the refurbished American Legion Building. There are also fish tacos, short ribs, and what Dora called “delicious” chicken.īuttercup’s interior is divided between a bar area and a dining room, and there’s an outdoor patio with seating. Gabriel’s specialty is fish, especially center-cut Halibut, and it’s on the Buttercup menu. Gabriel’s dishes have a French influence, and Dora pointed out his sauces are not overpowering, which can be the case in some French cooking. When asked what separates her restaurants from the competition, Dora said she and Gabriel have a close relationship with several local farms. The Buttercup opened last week, and both locations are “super busy,” Dora said.īoth are farm-to-table establishments, a popular trend in the local restaurant scene. They opened the Farmhouse five years ago. Dora grew up in Wellesley, and she and Gabriel saved up enough money to start a restaurant. Over time, they had two children, Sophie and GianMarco. They eventually moved around – the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, then to Mexico where Gabriel grew up. In one of those restaurants, Gabriel worked in the kitchen, and a love connection formed. That lasted 12 years, and to help pay the bills, Dora worked as a waitress. They met in New York City while Dora pursued an acting career. Luz’s business and life partner is her husband, Gabriel Sanchez Luz. Strong espresso must be her secret ingredient. She said she works out every day, eats a healthy salad for lunch at The Farmhouse, and lives on only a couple of hours of sleep nightly. Luz was dressed in a Farmhouse sweatshirt and sweatpants while working Thursday morning at Buttercup. She needs both because her days are jammed-packed with duties, including running her other restaurant, The Farmhouse in Needham.

Luz gulps down a quadruple shot over ice later in the day, a few hours before Buttercup opens for dinner. When she’s not in the kitchen, she’s most likely to be found running (triathlons and marathons), farming, or spending time with her family, and their three Labrador retrievers.It gives her a boost of energy to get through a long day.

An avid gardener, Tavel-Sanchez Luz sources ingredients from her own Sunwashed Farm for the menus at both restaurants. In May 2018, they doubled down and opened a second restaurant, Buttercup, in Natick. She and her husband (and fellow chef), Gabriel Sanchez Luz opened the Farmhouse in Needham in March 2013, realizing a long-held dream of owning their own place. Since then, she’s traveled from one side of the country to the other, working at farm-to-table restaurants in Los Angeles like Trastavere and French-Asian fusion in New York and Boston including spots like Restaurant L, AZ, and Beppe. She soon took a job cooking and serving in Boston. By the time she turned twenty, she knew she wanted to work in restaurants. Sunwashed Farm’s Zucchini Blossoms, RicottaĪ native of Wellesley, MA, chef Dora Tavel-Sanchez Luz developed an interest in food watching Julia Child on PBS. Dora Tavel-Sanchez Luz, Chef & Co-Owner of Buttercup (Natick)

Natick buttercup