Cocktail party catering · Abu Dhabi
Cocktail party catering in Abu Dhabi, with canapés carried to every guest.
A drinks evening on a Saadiyat terrace, a reception for clients at ADGM, an engagement party in the garden. Finger food that keeps coming, a live counter to gather round, and a team that keeps the room moving.
Our head office is at ADGM on Al Maryah Island, and the group has run hospitality in Abu Dhabi since 1985. A cocktail party works differently from a dinner. Nobody sits down and nobody queues. The food goes to the guests, a few bites at a time, for the length of the evening.
That changes the menu and the team. The menu is finger food and live counters with no main course. The team is larger than at a buffet, because the canapés are carried round rather than collected from a table.
The menu
Finger food, live counters and something sweet to finish.
Choose Cocktail party on the first screen of the menu builder and it lays out a cocktail menu for you: twelve finger-food dishes and two desserts, or ten finger-food dishes with up to two live counters. Every dish can be swapped, and each one shows its price as you go.
- Passed canapés, hot and cold, carried round on trays from the moment the first guests arrive.
- Live counters that become the centre of the room: chaat, dosa, wok, pasta or live jalebi, cooked in front of the guests.
- Pure-vegetarian, Jain and vegan bites cooked on a separate line, so a mixed guest list eats from the same trays.
- Two desserts to close the evening, with mithai from Chhappan Bhog, the group's own sweets kitchen, if you want an Indian finish.
- Soft drinks at AED 12 a guest. Bartenders can be added to the order.
Staffing
One waiter for every twenty guests.
At a buffet, guests serve themselves and one waiter looks after fifty. At a cocktail party the food goes to the guests, so the team is sized at one waiter for every twenty guests, at AED 150 each. That is what keeps the trays moving and the empty glasses and plates off the tables.
Each live counter is cooked by a chef at the counter. The AED 500 catering setup covers transport, setup and clearing, chafing dishes, plates and cutlery, whatever the guest count.
| Line | Calculation | AED |
|---|---|---|
| Service staff, canapés carried round | 60 guests ÷ 20 = 3 waiters × AED 150 | 450 |
| Catering setup (transport, setup, chafing dishes, plates, cutlery) | Flat | 500 |
| Food | Priced dish by dish in the menu builder | As chosen |
| VAT | 5% on the total |
Where it happens
Villas, terraces, islands and offices.
A cocktail party can be at home, in a garden or on a terrace, or a reception at an office or a hired venue. We cover the whole emirate, from Saadiyat, Yas and Al Reem to Al Raha, Khalifa City and Al Bateen. Island and gated communities usually need vehicle access cleared with security, so tell us the community when you book and we will send the details your gate needs.
Indoors, live counters run on butane, so chaat, dosa, wok, pasta and jalebi all work in an apartment, a tower's party room or an office. Tandoor and open charcoal need an outdoor space.
Before the evening
How booking works.
- Twenty guests is the floor, with a minimum order of AED 2,500.
- Half the total confirms the date. The balance is due before the event.
- Final numbers are due 72 hours before the party.
- Food is prepared for a safe service window and served for the length of the party.
Common questions
Answers before you ask.
- How much does cocktail party catering cost in Abu Dhabi?
- A cocktail menu is priced dish by dish, so the menu builder shows the food total as you choose each canapé and counter. On top of the food, allow one waiter per 20 guests at AED 150 each, the AED 500 catering setup and 5% VAT. Sixty guests need three waiters, so service and setup come to AED 950 before the food and VAT.
- How many canapés should I plan per guest?
- The menu builder starts a cocktail party at twelve finger-food dishes and two desserts, or ten with up to two live counters. Tell us how long the party runs and whether dinner follows, and we will adjust it before you confirm.
- How many waiters does a cocktail party need?
- One for every twenty guests, at AED 150 each, because the food is carried round to guests. A buffet needs fewer, one per fifty guests with at least two.
- Can you add a live counter to a cocktail party?
- Yes, up to two in the suggested menu, and more on request. Chaat, dosa, wok, pasta and live jalebi all work indoors on butane; tandoor and charcoal need an outdoor space.
- What is the minimum for a cocktail party?
- Twenty guests, with a minimum order of AED 2,500.
- Do you cater cocktail receptions for companies?
- Yes, at the office or at a venue, with a quote and invoice made out to the company. Larger and recurring corporate work is on the corporate catering page.
- Can the canapés be vegetarian or Jain?
- Yes. Pure-vegetarian, Jain and vegan menus are cooked on a separate line. Jain food carries no onion, no garlic and no root vegetables.
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