Catering questions, answered

For office drop-off orders, 48 hours. For weddings, 6 months, and earlier for Saturdays from June to September. Corporate holiday parties in December are best booked two to four months ahead.

Sometimes. Short-notice orders depend on kitchen and staff availability that day. Call 647-830-0079 with the date, time, address and guest count and we will tell you right away.

Drop-off orders start at 15 guests and staffed events at 40 guests. If your group is smaller, ask us what is possible for your date.

By the final headcount deadline stated in your proposal. Until then an estimate is fine. After the deadline, numbers can usually go up if we can still source food and staff.

Our menus start from $16 per person for breakfast, from $24 for boxed lunches, from $32 for hot lunch buffets, from $38 for canapé receptions and from $92 for plated dinners, before HST and fees. See pricing for every format.

Depending on the event: delivery ($45), staff at $38 per staff hour, a service charge of 18% on full-service events, any rentals, and HST at 13%. All of them appear as separate lines in your proposal.

Yes. HST in Ontario is 13% and applies to catered food and beverages, according to the Canada Revenue Agency. We show it as its own line.

No. The service charge covers the cost of running a staffed event, as described in your proposal. Tipping staff beyond that is entirely your choice.

Yes. Most proposals start from one of our menus and are adjusted for the season, your guests and your budget. Fully custom menus are possible for full-service events.

Tastings are usually offered for weddings and larger private events once the menu is shortlisted. The terms for your event are stated in your proposal.

Mediterranean, Levantine and Middle Eastern, South Asian, and modern Canadian menus based on Ontario seasons. Many events mix dishes from more than one.

It depends on format and length. As a guide, a two-hour cocktail reception with no dinner after it usually needs 8–12 canapés per guest. For meals we plan portions per person and adjust for the time of day and your crowd.

Yes. We build a base menu that suits most guests and prepare separately labelled meals only where needed. See our dietary catering page.

Tell us the halal standard your guests follow. Before you book, we confirm in writing how your order is sourced, which body certifies the meat and how it is handled. See halal catering.

We prepare, pack and label allergy meals separately, but our kitchen is shared, so we cannot rule out trace exposure unless your proposal says so in writing. Tell us about severe allergies before booking.

Boxed and plated dietary meals carry the guest's name and requirement. Buffet dishes have cards listing dietary tags and the priority allergens they contain.

It depends on the service style. A common planning ratio for plated dinners is one server per 10–12 guests; buffets and cocktail receptions usually need fewer. Your proposal lists the staffing we recommend and why.

Tell us about any dress code or theme when you book. Staff attire for your event is confirmed in your proposal.

Yes, through our event staffing service, subject to availability and the rules of your venue.

At full-service events, a service captain runs the food service, works with your venue coordinator or planner, and is your single point of contact on site.

Across Toronto and the GTA, including Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill and Oakville. See service areas for details.

Yes. The delivery team places the food, sets out serving utensils and labels, and leaves a note with the time the food should be cleared or refrigerated.

The floor and suite, a contact name and mobile number, and any building rules: security sign-in, loading dock access or a booked freight elevator. Tell us when you order so the food arrives on time.

Drop-off orders arrive in disposable or returnable containers, as stated in your quote. Full-service events use rented or supplied china and serving pieces, listed in your proposal.

Yes. Many lofts, galleries and backyards have no kitchen. We plan a temporary prep area and check power, water and load-in with the venue in advance.

We can coordinate tables, linens, china, glassware and tents through rental companies, or work with rentals you have already booked. Rental costs appear separately in your proposal.

Some venues have an exclusive caterer, some keep a preferred list, and some are open. Ask the venue first, and ask about kitchen fees or buy-out fees for outside caterers.

Many venues ask caterers for one. Tell us the venue's requirements when you book so we can confirm what we can provide.

Tell us if alcohol will be served. How a bar can run in Ontario depends on the event and the licence involved, and we will explain the options for your date and venue.

An AGCO permit that lets a host serve or sell alcohol at an event such as a wedding reception. The AGCO asks for applications at least 10 days before private events and at least 30 days before most others. A no-sale permit is $50 per day.

No. Under AGCO rules, alcohol cannot be sold at a private residence, so a home event can only serve alcohol without charging guests for it.

Staff of licensed establishments must be Smart Serve certified. Under a Special Occasion Permit it is recommended rather than required, but it is a good standard for anyone serving alcohol.

Hot and cold food travel in separate insulated carriers, hot food is checked with a thermometer on arrival, and food that has not held temperature is not served. See kitchen and food safety.

Common food safety guidance is up to two hours for perishable food without temperature control. Hot food in chafing dishes is held at 60°C or above.

Food that stayed under temperature control can often be packed for you with storage instructions. Food that sat out past its safe time is discarded.

Ontario's Food Premises regulation requires at least one certified food handler or supervisor on the premises every hour a kitchen operates. Ask us about the certification of the team assigned to your event.