Canapé menu

How many canapés per guest

Count pieces per guest, not varieties. The right number depends on how long the reception runs and whether a meal follows.

Guests eat the most in the first 45 minutes, so we send out about half the total pieces in that window and slow down after. If a grazing table or station runs alongside, reduce passed pieces by roughly a third.

Balancing the selection

For a mixed Toronto guest list, a good starting balance is about 40% vegetarian or vegan, at least two halal-sourced meat options, at least two gluten-free options, and one or two sweet bites at the end. Seafood is popular but should not be more than a quarter of the list, because shellfish allergies are common and those guests will skip every seafood tray.

Servers announce each canapé and its main allergens as they offer it. For guests with serious allergies, we can plate a separate set in the kitchen and bring it to them directly.

Service style and staffing

Canapés are a full-service format: they are finished on site and passed within minutes, so crisp things stay crisp. As a planning guide, allow one passing server for every 20–25 guests, plus one or two kitchen staff to finish and plate. A reception of 120 usually needs five or six servers passing and two people in the kitchen.

The kitchen can be small. In a condo party room, a gallery back room or an office pantry, we bring portable ovens and need a table, a nearby outlet and a place to wash hands. Tell us early what the venue has; the full-service page explains what we bring.

What's included

The per-person price covers the food, garnishes, serving trays and cocktail napkins. Service staff are billed by the hour at the staff rate, and full-service events carry a service charge; both are shown on the pricing page. Glassware, bar service and rentals are quoted separately. Canapé receptions start at 40 guests.