They say the best things come in small packages therefore the ever-rising popularity of canapés and bowl food at Wellingtons private parties and corporate events is easily explained.
These exquisite little masterpieces don’t just look good and taste delicious, but, opting for finger food solves the problem of space and allows your guests to really enjoy a party, as they are able to freely walk around and interact with each other, while canapés are being passed around.
There is also a more varied selection of food on offer as opposed to a formal sit down meal, so you can be sure that none of the guests will leave your party hungry.
We are often asked ‘How many canapés to serve per person?’ Our answer - It really depends on the party you are hosting, therefore we thought this guide would come in handy to any party planners out there.
We would normally recommend around 4-5 canapés per person for the first hour followed by 2-3 canapés per person for each subsequent hour. Therefore a private party at home where no other food is being served we would suggest a minimum 10 canapés per person for a standard 4 hour party. We would normally recommend 8 savoury items and 2 sweet items. Another great way to ensure your guests are well fed is to serve a few manapes. At Canapé Company, Wellington this is our name for larger sized canapés or bowl food.. We would normally recommend around 8 canapés per person for the first 2 hours hours followed by 1-2 manapes per person. These can be set out as a grazing table or buffet style for your guests to help themselves to at their leisure.
If you are catering a drinks reception after a wedding ceremony and a meal will follow, 3-4 pieces per person per hour will do just right. These quantities will surely tease the taste buds butwon’t be enough to spoil the appetite of your wedding guests before the main meal.
If you would like to serve some canapés at a corporate work event, mid week, aim for around 4-6 canapés per person.
WHAT CANAPÉS TO CHOOSE?
It’s always a good idea to have both cold and hot options. Please note that if you opt for hot canapés, they will need to be reheated or even cooked before being served. We will always provide you or our waiting staff with cooking instructions, prepared baking trays and garnished platters. When making your selection, make sure you cater for all tastes and preferences – have seafood, meat, poultry and vegetarian/vegan canapés. Think of allergies and include dairy and gluten free options as well. As Wellington’s leading canapé caterer, we have designed a lot of our menus to suit all special diets.
Tip: Try to find out prior to an event if any of your guests have certain food intolerances so you can make sure they are catered for.
HOW TO SERVE CANAPÉS?
So should you be brave and decide to cater yourself, here are some ideas on how to serve canapés -
Always check your kitchen cupboards and think out of the box on how to serve the canapés. Try picturing in your mind what that gorgeous tasty morsel will look like on that platter or board you have found.
At Canapé Company, when we plate our canapés, we always look at the beauty of the food and match it best with our selection of platters we have on hand. We find black works well and brings out the freshness of the food. Mirror looks stunning for the reflection of the food especially in a dimly lit room. Any wooden boards or slate trays will do a great job too. We would also recommend that you make sure that canapés are presented nicely and look beautiful. Fresh flowers mixed with herbs such as rosemary & thyme always look stunning on platters, to add that extra lift on the plate. At Canape we very rarely tend to mix our canapés on the platters. We like to keep them all separate, that way items don’t get mixed up, however this a personal preference and it is ultimately up to the host. If you choose to mix your platters we usually recommend to serve 1-2 kinds per tray and not to mix meat and vegetarian options. And last but not least, don’t forget about the napkins!
Tip: Think about the space available for the party. It might be a good idea to opt for smaller serving dishes, so that waiting staff are able to move around easily. If you are using toothpicks/sticks or Asian spoons for your canapés, its always a good idea to have a plate or a small bucket for the used sticks/spoons to be disposed of. If you are having waiting staff serve the canapés, always make sure they carry one in their spare hand.
It is best for 7-9 savoury and 2-3 sweet canapés per person for a standard 3-4 hour party where no other food is served. Each piece should be good for one or two bites. If the party food is served pre and post a main sit down dinner then we would recommend for 3-4 pieces per person.
We would normally recommend around 4-5 canapés per person for the first hour followed by 2-3 canapés per person for each subsequent hour. Therefore a private party at home where no other food is being served we would suggest a minimum 10 canapés per person for a standard 4 hour party.
When planning to cater an afternoon event we recommend providing between 5-6 canapés per person. To ensure that your guests aren't left hungry we suggest that within this mix there are 2-3 larger finger food options. This may include items such as sliders, mini tacos or bao buns.
HOW MANY SHOULD I SERVE? It's best to calculate the amount per person. Canape-only party: 8-10 savory and 1-2 sweet canapés per person for a standard 4-hour private party, where no other food is served. Pre-meal drinks reception: 3-4 pieces per person will do just right.
These three elements are paramount to creating canapés that are memorable and look inviting. Texture is an important one to think about – a successful canapé is one that contrasts several different textures to create an enjoyable eating experience.
So, ensure that you display canapés effectively, using serving platters and plates that show off the food at its best rather than simply being a place to hold the food until it's eaten. Slate boards and platters are a popular choice for serving as they provide a stylish backdrop to gorgeous canapés.
For a one-hour drinks reception, order four to six canapés per person. If it's before a grand dinner, four should be plenty. For longer events, add another two to four pieces per hour. Savoury canapés are always more popular; if you're serving savoury and sweet, aim for a ratio of around 4:1.
If you love canapes and would prefer to swap out the starter then 8-10 canapes per person is usually recommended, sometimes this can be less, but it all depends on your ceremony timing and whether or not guests have had a chance to eat lunch or not.
Enjoyed along with a glass of champagne before or after the wedding ceremony, canapés are generally the first part of your wedding menu guests will taste on the big day.
Generally, you will need enough for each guest to eat 2 of each type of appetizer you serve. For very large parties, you can lower this to 1.5 servings per person per appetizer. However, for high-protein appetizers such as mini sliders, deviled eggs, or bacon-wrapped shrimp, you can plan for 1.5 servings per person.
For example 4 canapes per person will last roughly 45 mins then the remainder of time filled with drinks and mingling. If you visionise canapes being served for a longer period of time - we suggest including more in your offering.
Generally, a catering tray can feed 15-20 people. For example, a full tray of chicken breasts should have enough protein for 15-20 people. However, remember that people may choose sides like salads and desserts, which may not factor into this.
Lay them out on mirrors, glass or wooden boards. Have a little dish or a shot glass by the canapes for used skewers. Keep them fresh A simple pumpernickel bread with a cream cheese and piece of smoked salmon for example will keep fresh and won't go soggy for at least two hours in the fridge.
Canapés are typically made with an edible base – crackers, blinis, bread or pastry, and served cold. Hors d'oeuvres are small bites of something tasty and can be both savoury or sweet, and served hot or cold.
These are then deep fried, sautéed, or toasted, then topped or piped with highly processed and decoratively applied items. Colorful and eye-pleasing garnishes often complete the presentation. The canapés are usually served on a canapé salver and eaten from small canapé plates.
Assemble as close to serving time as possible to prevent bases from becoming soggy or spreads and garnishes from drying out. Select harmonious flavor combinations that include at least one spicy ingredient. Use high quality ingredients and keep arrangements simple so the canapés hold together.
Address: 2865 Kasha Unions, West Corrinne, AK 05708-1071
Phone: +3512198379449
Job: Design Planner
Hobby: Graffiti, Foreign language learning, Gambling, Metalworking, Rowing, Sculling, Sewing
Introduction: My name is Dong Thiel, I am a brainy, happy, tasty, lively, splendid, talented, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
