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Planning notes
24 practical guides on catering costs, permits, quantities, dietary planning and venues in Toronto and the GTA.
Latest
Planning corporate holiday party catering: a 12-week timeline
For a Toronto office holiday party in mid-December, start 12 weeks out, which means late September. That leaves time to lock a Thursday or Friday…
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Loft wedding catering in Toronto: feeding 120 guests in a room with no kitchen
Almost every loft and gallery wedding venue in Toronto is an empty room with good light and no commercial kitchen. The catering works when the menu…
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Gluten-free vs celiac-safe catering: what the labels mean and what to ask
A gluten-free dish is made without gluten ingredients. A celiac-safe meal is also protected from cross-contact at every step from prep to plate. For…
Read the guideDietary and cultural
Gluten-free vs celiac-safe catering: what the labels mean and what to ask
A gluten-free dish is made without gluten ingredients. A celiac-safe meal is also protected from cross-contact at every step from prep to plate. For a guest with celiac…
Read morePlanning an office iftar in Toronto: timing, menu and inclusion
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around February 8 and end around March 9, subject to moon sighting. Sunset in Toronto moves from about 5:40 p.m. to about 6:15 p.m…
Read moreVegan wedding menu ideas: sample menus that feel like a feast
A vegan wedding menu works when every course has a satisfying centre, enough fat and acidity to taste finished, and produce at its best in the month you marry. Below are…
Read moreHalal catering in Toronto: certified, halal-friendly, and what to ask
"Halal" on a caterer's website can mean three different things: a kitchen certified by a halal authority, halal meat from certified suppliers cooked in a shared kitchen…
Read moreKosher-style vs kosher catering: what the difference means for your event
Kosher catering is prepared under the supervision of a kashrut agency; kosher-style catering is traditional Jewish food cooked without that supervision. If any guest…
Read moreCatering an office lunch around dietary restrictions
The easiest way to feed a 40-person office with halal, vegan, gluten-free and allergy needs is not a dozen special orders. It is one base menu that most people can eat…
Read morePlanning
How many catering staff per guest: ratios, roles and cost
A plated dinner needs about one server per 10–12 guests, family-style about one per 12–15, a staffed buffet about one per 20–25, and a bar about one bartender per 50–75…
Read moreHow far in advance to book a caterer
Book 9–12 months ahead for a peak-season wedding Saturday, 3–4 months for a December office party, 4–8 weeks for most private parties and client events, and as little as…
Read more15 food safety questions to ask a caterer, and the answers to expect
Tasting menus and photos tell you whether a caterer can cook. These questions tell you whether they can cook safely for 150 people away from their own kitchen, and a…
Read moreGrazing table guide: sizing, cost and the food safety clock
Plan about 150–200 g of food per guest when a grazing table sits alongside other food, and 350–450 g when it is the main food. A standard 8-foot table serves roughly…
Read moreCatering a celebration of life or funeral reception, with very little time
Most families arrange a reception within two or three days, while also handling everything else a death brings. This guide covers the few decisions that matter, sensible…
Read moreHow much food per person: catering quantity tables
For a two-hour cocktail reception with no dinner afterwards, plan 8–12 canapés per guest. For a seated dinner, plan about 150–180 g of cooked protein per guest, or a…
Read moreWeddings
Loft wedding catering in Toronto: feeding 120 guests in a room with no kitchen
Almost every loft and gallery wedding venue in Toronto is an empty room with good light and no commercial kitchen. The catering works when the menu is designed for a…
Read moreMicro-wedding catering ideas for 20 to 50 guests
A small guest list changes what a caterer can do. For 20–50 guests the best formats are a family-style long table, a chef's tasting menu, a restaurant-style dinner at…
Read moreBackyard wedding catering: the complete GTA checklist
A backyard wedding needs everything a venue normally provides: a kitchen, power, water, washrooms, furniture and a weather plan. A house kitchen is not built for 100…
Read moreSouth Asian wedding catering in the GTA: planning food across every event
Catering a South Asian wedding means planning several meals for several audiences: an intimate mehndi at home, a lively sangeet, a ceremony with its own customs, and a…
Read moreSpecial Occasion Permits for Ontario weddings, step by step
If alcohol will be served at a wedding venue that has no liquor licence, one of the couple (or another adult responsible for the event) usually needs a Special Occasion…
Read moreCorporate
Planning corporate holiday party catering: a 12-week timeline
For a Toronto office holiday party in mid-December, start 12 weeks out, which means late September. That leaves time to lock a Thursday or Friday before they go, build a…
Read moreConference catering: a full-day food plan that keeps the agenda on time
Plan conference catering from the agenda outward: registration breakfast, a morning break, a lunch that finishes on time, an afternoon break that beats the 3 p.m. slump…
Read moreHow to run a recurring office lunch program
A weekly or monthly team lunch works best when it is set up once as a program: a fixed day, a rotating menu, a per-head budget, a headcount rule for hybrid attendance…
Read moreCosts and pricing
Catering service charges and tipping: what you owe, what is optional, and where HST applies
If your catering quote already includes a service charge, you are not expected to tip on top of it. This guide explains what a service charge is, how it differs from a…
Read moreWedding catering cost in Toronto: what $60, $100 and $150 per guest buys
EventSource puts most Toronto and GTA weddings at $50–$100 per guest for catering, with a full range of $30–$150. What matters more is what sits inside that number and…
Read moreWhat corporate catering costs in Toronto, per person
Industry guides put Toronto office catering at roughly $5–$15 per person for breakfast, $20–$50 for lunch and $50–$150 for evening receptions. The per-person menu price…
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