Catering for 50 guests.

Why this format deserves special attention.

Fifty people is a threshold. Below it, a dinner at home with a private chef is enough. Above it, industrial production starts to impose itself as the default answer. At fifty guests you are in a pivotal zone: numerous enough to require real organisation, few enough to expect gastronomy that does not resemble a company canteen.

This is exactly where Prémices is most useful. Our model relies on a selected independent chef, supported by a professional service team and coordinated by our agency from start to finish. No central kitchen, no cold delivery: a professional who creates a gastronomic menu for your event, with fresh produce bought for the occasion.

For fifty guests in Paris we cover every kind of event: corporate cocktail, a milestone birthday, family reception, launch party, housewarming in a prestigious apartment or a leadership meeting with a seated lunch.

The right formats for 50 guests.

Cocktail dinner

The cocktail dinner is often the best format for fifty people in a Parisian space. It lets guests circulate, encourages conversation and gives the chef freedom to compose a sequence of crafted bites (amuse-bouches, hot and cold cocktail pieces, last-minute desserts) without the constraint of synchronised table service. For professional events such as product launches, client cocktails or end-of-year department parties, it combines the most advantages: flexible timing, a polished image and natural conviviality.

Gastronomic buffet

The gastronomic buffet is the middle ground for events where conviviality matters more than protocol. Unlike a classic caterer's buffet, the dishes are composed by a chef and presented with the care of a restaurant plate, and the chef stays to finish plating as service goes on. It suits birthdays and family receptions where varied guests coexist, letting everyone choose freely.

Seated plated dinner

For events where elegant protocol is expected (business dinner, leadership meeting, gastronomic birthday), plated service for fifty is perfectly manageable with the right team. The chef composes a menu of three or four courses, plated and served by the floor team with controlled timing. At fifty guests, this requires precise coordination between kitchen and floor, a strength of Prémices, which plans the service schedule while framing the event.

What your Prémices service includes.

• Chef selection. We identify the profile best suited to your event, venue and expectations. A festive birthday does not call for the same chef as an executive committee lunch.
• Menu design. The chef co-creates a bespoke menu with you, taking into account your preferences, the season, dietary constraints and the chosen service format.
• Service team. For fifty guests, one or more professional waiters handle floor service, glasses and the flow of the event, selected with the same standards as our chefs.
• Logistics coordination. Venue validation, set-up plan, service timing and coordination with other suppliers if needed. You have nothing culinary to manage on the day.
• Sommellerie option. When food and wine pairing is part of the experience, we can add a sommelier, some of them Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, to build the wine selection and guide the tasting. See wine pairing.

The most frequent occasions for 50 guests.

• A milestone birthday. Fortieth, fiftieth or sixtieth birthdays deserve a service that leaves a mark: a festive, polished menu your guests will remember long after the evening.
• A corporate cocktail. Product launch, client evening, farewell drinks for an executive, a department's year-end celebration: fifty is the perfect scale for an ambitious professional cocktail without the budget of a gala.
• A family reception. Christening, first communion, housewarming or extended family gathering: Prémices adapts the culinary register to the audience.
• A launch evening. For the opening of a showroom, a brand launch or the inauguration of a space, quality catering strengthens the image and memorability of the event.

"A wonderful experience for a business dinner for eight. The chef and maître d'hôtel duo was flawless and the menu of great quality. Highly recommended." Amélie Quidor, HR Director, Bouygues Construction

How your event unfolds.

Step 1. Quote request

Complete our quote form with the type of event, date, venue, number of guests and first wishes. An advisor gets back to you within 24 business hours.

Step 2. Chef and menu

We identify the right chef and co-create with him a bespoke menu that you refine together (dishes, service format, dietary constraints) until it is fully approved.

Step 3. Logistics framing

For fifty-guest events, a coordination meeting takes place beforehand: venue check with the chef, set-up schedule, coordination with your other suppliers.

Step 4. On the day

The chef and service team arrive on schedule, set up, deliver the service and leave the space spotless. You enjoy your event without any culinary constraint.

Selected chefs, not mass catering.

Prémices is a selection agency. Every chef in our network has passed strict practical tests (cooking, plating, hygiene, punctuality, sense of service) before joining. For a fifty-guest event we choose a chef experienced in group service, able to maintain gastronomic quality throughout, so the first plate is no better than the last. Our 4.9/5 Google rating, earned across very different formats, reflects that consistency. Your guests do not know what you spent: they simply know the service was remarkable.

To explore other formats, see our bespoke events page or our catering in Paris.

Where can it take place?

At home, in a garden, in a rented hall, or in one of our partner venues in Paris: Le Jardin des Bauches (Paris 16th, up to 50 guests), Hôtel Particulier Wagram (Paris 8th, up to 200 guests) and Maison Rapp (Paris 7th, up to 15 guests). See all our exceptional venues.

Frequently asked questions

What budget for catering for 50 guests in Paris?

Prémices prepares bespoke quotes. The price depends on the service format (cocktail, buffet, seated dinner), the menu, the length of service and the team involved. Request a quote for a proposal tailored to your project, and see our pricing page for reference points.

How far in advance should I book?

We recommend contacting us three to six weeks before the event to secure the right chef. In high season (year end, summer), plan further ahead. For urgent requests, contact us directly.

What is included in the service for 50 guests?

The Prémices service includes selecting and paying the chef, co-designing the menu, logistics coordination beforehand and service on the day. A floor service team can be added as needed. Additional tableware or equipment is an option coordinated with our partners.

How is this different from a classic caterer for 50?

A classic caterer delivers dishes prepared in a central kitchen. Prémices brings a selected chef who works on site with fresh produce: living gastronomy, not reheated food. And every chef has been tested and approved before joining our network, so you get a professional suited to your event, not a generic contractor who happened to be free.