Friends with Benefits isn’t just dinner—it’s an experience. At the heart of it is Chef Matt Duffin, a fiercely talented cook who's quietly built one of the most sought-after culinary gatherings in St. Louis.

Menu for the Friends with Benefits Supper Club dinner at Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions in Maplewood July 27, 2025

For the last couple of years, Chef Matt Duffin has been hosting what he calls the Friends with Benefits Supper Club—a rotating, intimate dinner series where the city’s most forward-thinking chefs come together to put on bold, multi-course meals for small, lucky groups of ticket-holders. These aren't just dinners; they're collaborative, high-touch culinary experiences—equal parts food, fire, friendship, and fun.

For the last two years, these events have taken place, speakeasy style, inside a cozy private home tucked near Tower Grove Park—a space that’s become almost sacred to regulars. But that chapter is coming to a close. There’s just about a month left of dinners at the original venue, and Chef Matt is celebrating it the best way he knows how: with a stacked roster of returning guest Chefs giving the space a proper send-off. Visit fullthymefarms.com for tickets and event info for these final throwdowns, as they are surely not to be missed.

Last night, however, marked the beginning of a new chapter—one that feels like both a natural evolution and a bold new experiment. For the first time, the Supper Club was hosted at Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions, a whole-animal, zero-waste butcher shop and full-service restaurant in Maplewood. It’s a fitting venue as Bolyard’s doesn’t just align with Matt’s values—it’s also where he learned the art of whole-animal butchery and where he now works full-time, managing some of the operations and allowing owner Chris Bolyard to focus more intently on the challenges of running a hybrid business built on integrity and craft.

Front door of Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions in Maplewood, MO

With the move to Bolyard’s, the Supper Club now has room to grow: more seats for hungry guests, a proper kitchen, and the ability to offer wine and beer for sale through the shop. But don’t mistake “more” for “less special.” Last night’s sold-out dinner was anything but typical. It featured Matt and Chris cooking side-by-side with one of their biggest mentors, Chef Bill Cardwell, a culinary legend in the Saint Louis dining scene and a man who taught them both—albeit at different times. Despite their shared lineage, the three of them had never all cooked together before. Until last night. It was a full-circle moment—three chefs from the same culinary tree, finally working shoulder-to-shoulder, plating something deeply personal for a room full of excited, curious guests.

As someone who’s still relatively new to St. Louis and its deeply interconnected food scene, I can say with certainty that Matt Duffin is the kind of Chef you want to root for. He’s talented and creative, warm, welcoming, and unabashedly genuine. The kind of guy who, the first time you ever meet him, will walk you through the butcher shop, take you inside the cut room to showcase how they break down a side of beef, and then cut you a custom order of Denver steaks just because you asked-even though he had an appointment about a broken phone in 20 minutes.

If you’ve never been to a Friends with Benefits dinner, don’t wait. Grab tickets to one of the final gatherings at the Tower Grove space now, or mark your calendar for the next dinner at Bolyard’s. These aren’t the kind of meals you forget. They’re the kind you tell people about over and over. Intimate, thoughtful, ambitious—and insanely delicious. Last night’s menu of front-to-back bangers was as follows:

Amuse

beef tartare plated inside a marrow bone, served with a garlic beef tallow candle and grilled bread

What a clever and creative touch. At first glance, the garlic beef tallow candle appeared to be just part of the ambiance—lit at the table as guests were seated. But as the amuse-bouche arrived, its true purpose was revealed: the melting tallow slowly released rich garlic aromas, softening into a savory spread for the grilled bread. That bread then became the perfect vehicle for an indulgent beef tartare—a playful, unexpected beginning to the meal that was as thoughtful as it was delicious.

First Course

chilled corn soup with sautéed corn, zuchinni, radish, and fresh basil chiffonade, served with a BLT croissant gouger featuring buckboard bacon, sweet tomato jam, and micro-greens.

Inside the BLT gouger served with chilled corn soup

This chilled corn soup was the definition of refreshing—cool, silky, and deeply satisfying. Gently sautéed vegetables added pops of vibrant flavor and just the right amount of texture to contrast the smooth corn broth, all lifted by what might’ve been the freshest basil I’ve ever tasted.

It was served alongside a BLT gougère—something I had to look up (turns out, it’s basically a stuffed crouton). But this version took that concept and ran with it, landing somewhere between a crouton and a miniature gourmet sandwich. Buckboard bacon, microgreens, and a sweet tomato jam layered together in a perfect bite that echoed and elevated the sweet-savory balance of the soup.

Second Course

chicken thigh (marinated in sesame oil, soy, mirin, togarashi) grilled yakitori style with peach and mushrooms, tare (grill sauce with shitake mushrooms, nori, and shmaltz), and finished with house furikake

I’m all for out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to food—the best bites are often the ones that make your brain pause and say, “Wait… that shouldn’t work.” And yet, somehow, sure as shit, it does.

Case in point: a Yakitori skewer with grilled peaches and mushrooms. At first glance, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. But sure as hell, it turned out to be one of the most memorable bites of the night. The juicy, tender, perfectly grilled chicken thigh was to be expected. But pairing the soft sweetness of stone fruit with the earthy, meaty umami of mushroom? Total curveball—and completely brilliant. Finished with a house-made furikake, it was the kind of flavor combo that lodges itself in your memory.

It was bold, weird, and wildly successful. I’m absolutely stealing this idea for my own repertoire.

Third Course

coconut green curry seafood stew - mussel, scallop, seafood sausage, fermented corn, roasted corn, roasted chilis, fermented chilis. turmeric cracker with spicy mango chutney and salmon roe

This may have been the most visually striking dish of the night. A vibrant green coconut curry broth burst with deep, layered flavor, setting the stage for a striking contrast of color—sunny yellows, fiery oranges, and ruby reds from the chilies, mango chutney, salmon roe, and a delicate turmeric cracker.

The seafood was exceptional: perfectly cooked mussels, a tender scallop, and a seafood sausage—something I’d never encountered before but hope to again. Somehow both spicy and refreshing, this dish caught me completely off guard. I don’t usually go for curries, but this one was in a league of its own.

Fourth Course

grilled sirloin, poached bone marrow butter whipped with herbs, beef demi, Maldon salt, zucchini, blistered tomato with beer vinegar, deep fried gorgonzola

This dish delivered one of the most memorable bites I’ve had in ages. The steak—impeccably sourced and seasoned with precision—was so tender I cut it with a fork. It melted like butter, enriched by a luxurious beef demi-glace and a delicate hit of Maldon salt that amplified every flavor.

On the side: balled zucchini, a perfectly blistered tomato dressed in house-made beer vinegar, and a golden-fried orb of mild blue cheese that was, quite honestly, flawless. The interplay of beef, demi, vinegar, and blue cheese made me close my eyes and just feel it. I came dangerously close to licking the plate.

Dessert Course

lemon curd, almond cake, watermelon, lemongrass semi fredo, basil gremolata, blackberry

I’m usually not a dessert guy—especially at dinners like this. More often than not, the final course feels like an afterthought: disconnected from the rest of the meal, overly sweet, or unnecessarily heavy. Most of them just don’t land for me. This, was different.

At its base, a silky, perfectly set lemon curd. Layered above it: a light, flavorful almond cake, fresh watermelon, and an aromatic lemongrass semi-fredo that was both refreshing and indulgent. A basil gremolata brought herbal contrast, and a single fresh blackberry crowned the dish. It was balanced, intentional, and completely satisfying. I cleaned my plate.

Being fully honest, I could have easily gone for seconds, thirds, fourths fifths and sixths of every single dish, and that’s a rarity for me. Even the dessert was must-see TV. Every single dish was intentional and impressive, to say the least.

And at the end of it all-a fitting, and apparently traditional, toast:

“There are big ships and small ships, and ships that sail the sea. But, there is no ship like friendship, so here’s to you and me.”

Nobody left empty-handed, either. Each guest was gifted a copy of the menu with a handwritten thank you and autographed by all three Chefs. We also each received our very own garlic beef tallow candle, the same that started the meal, to which we were told, “burn it or eat it, it’s up to you!”

Thank you, Chefs, for an incredible night and a truly memorable meal. Let’s fucking do this again, yeah?

Follow @fullthymefarms_stl on Instagram for updates on upcoming events and visit fullthymefarms.com for tickets and details on upcoming dinners