Canapés at a dinner party at home are the first thing your guests eat: three or four small bites served in the first half hour while people arrive, before anyone sits down. I am Giuseppe Manzoli, an Italian-trained private chef, and I make them in your kitchen that afternoon so they go out warm and fresh as the doorbell rings.
At a 60th birthday dinner for 12 in a house in Edinburgh the canapés were king prawns wrapped in Parma ham, tempura Scottish haddock, risotto arancini with pumpkin and sage, and almond and smoked salmon balls. Four bites, two of them warm, one from the sea, one from the pan — enough variety that everyone finds something, not so much that the starter is spoiled.
Then the bread
After the canapés, my own focaccia goes on the table: mixed and proved in the house, baked while the canapés are being eaten, so it reaches the table still warm. It carries the table through to the starter and it is the thing people ask for the recipe of.
One minute of how I make it: the natural yeast starter, the dough, and the focaccia out of the oven.
How I plan canapés for a house party
Three to four canapés per guest is right for a dinner that follows. I balance one seafood, one vegetable, one pastry or fried bite, and one that can be eaten in a single mouthful standing up with a glass in the other hand. Nothing that drips, nothing that needs a plate. They are built in the last hour before guests arrive and finished as people come through the door, so the warm ones are actually warm. Menus start from £75 per person, VAT and travel included, and canapés are written into the menu with the rest.
If you are planning a dinner in your own house, my private chef at home in Scotland page explains how the whole evening works.
In short: for a dinner party at home I serve three or four canapés per guest in the first half hour — for example king prawns in Parma ham, tempura haddock, pumpkin and sage arancini and smoked salmon balls — then warm homemade focaccia on the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many canapés per person for a dinner party?
Three or four each when a full dinner follows. Six to eight each if the canapés are the meal, as at a drinks party.
Are the canapés made in my kitchen or brought in?
Made in your kitchen on the day. I bring the ingredients and my own equipment and finish them as guests arrive.
Can the canapés be vegetarian or gluten-free?
Yes. Tell me when you book and I write them in — for example arancini and vegetable tarts for vegetarians, or bites without pastry or breadcrumbs for gluten-free guests.
I’ve been cooking professionally for 35+ years, with 220+ five-star Google reviews from clients across Scotland. November dates are open — if you’d like a dinner like this at home, get in touch and check a date.