Walking dinner: 5 to 7 courses where your guests mingle all evening

A walking dinner has become the most popular dinner format for weddings, corporate parties and birthdays. Why? Because your guests aren't stuck at the same table for three hours, but move between courses, switching conversations, spots and company. La Casserole has been providing walking dinners for 40 years, for 25 to 400 guests, at home or at external venues. Our chefs cook on site and every course comes warm and fresh straight from the pan.

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What exactly is a walking dinner?

A walking dinner is a multi-course dinner where guests don't sit at a fixed table but move around between high tables, seating areas and bars. Each course is served on small plates or in small dishes, enough for a few bites per person. Between courses everyone mingles, people get up, move to a different spot and new conversations begin.

The concept originally comes from the Italian aperitivo tradition, but in the Netherlands it has grown into its own format that works perfectly for weddings and larger corporate parties. You combine the quality of a multi-course menu with the social dynamic of a standing reception.

Why a walking dinner often works better than a classic seated dinner

A classic seated dinner is lovely, but has one significant drawback: you spend the entire evening next to the same two people. For an intimate dinner of 10 to 20 guests that's wonderful, but for a wedding of 80 guests it often loses its energy. A walking dinner solves that. Your guests keep meeting new people throughout the evening, because they physically move between courses and naturally end up in new groups.

It's also practical: a walking dinner requires fewer square metres per guest than a seated dinner, because not everyone needs to be seated at the same time. That makes it ideal for venues with limited space, such as a company canteen, a converted barn or a listed building with narrow rooms.

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Walking dinner at home or on location: both work perfectly

We provide walking dinners in whatever setting you choose. At home in the garden or living room, at the office, in a hired event space, at Kasteel Henkenshage or at a special venue you've found yourself. Our chefs bring their own mobile kitchen or work in the available kitchen, as long as there is power and water.

For a walking dinner at home we recommend from 25 to around 80 guests. Above that it becomes logistically challenging in a private home and an external venue is usually more comfortable. Our wedding planners and project managers are happy to think along with you about the layout, the flow and the number of high tables that fit your space.

Our walking dinner menus

We work with four standard menus, each fully customisable. All courses are homemade, we work with fresh produce and incorporate seasonal dishes where appropriate.

5-course classic walking dinner

Five courses in a balanced menu: amuse-bouche, starter, intermediate course, main course and dessert. Suitable for evenings of approximately 2.5 to 3 hours. From €47.50 per person.

7-course chef's choice walking dinner

Seven smaller courses, composed by our chef based on what is best on the market and in season. For guests who really want to taste and for evenings of 3 to 4 hours. From €62.50 per person.

Seasonal walking dinner

Five to seven courses built entirely around what is available in season at that moment. In autumn, for example, game pâté, pumpkin soup, celeriac risotto and leg of venison. In spring, asparagus, lamb and rhubarb. We revise this menu every few months to keep it current.

Vegetarian or vegan walking dinner

Fully plant-based menus are not an afterthought with us. We have developed separate vegetarian and vegan walking dinners in which vegetables and pulses take centre stage. Flavourful, complete and with the same 5 to 7 courses as the classic menus.

How a walking dinner at La Casserole unfolds

From the arrival of our chefs to departure afterwards, we keep everything clear and organised. This is what you can expect on the day itself:

• Arrival of chefs and serving staff 2 to 3 hours before the first course
• Setup of mobile kitchen, high tables and serving stations
• Welcome of guests with an arrival drink and small amuse-bouches
• First course follows after approximately 30 minutes of welcome period
• Courses follow at 25 to 40 minute intervals
• Constant attentiveness from serving staff: clearing plates and topping up drinks
• Dessert course as the finale, often combined with coffee or a digestif
• Breakdown and cleaning by our own team

Throughout the walking dinner there are always one or more serving staff members directing guests to the right spots, clearing plates, handing out drinks and answering questions. You therefore don't get a self-service buffet, but proper table service in a roaming format.

Which occasions suit a walking dinner?

A walking dinner works for almost any party where you want guests to mix and mingle. The most common occasions we cater for are:

• Weddings with 60 to 250 guests
• Corporate parties and staff events
• Product launches and business receptions
• 50th and 60th birthday parties
• Christmas and New Year's drinks for companies
• Anniversary parties and opening events

For formal events such as an executive dinner or a classic wedding with a seating plan, we usually recommend a seated dinner or a combined format. For everything where networking and atmosphere come first, a walking dinner is the better choice.

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Frequently asked questions about walking dinners

What does a walking dinner cost per person?

At La Casserole a 5-course walking dinner starts from €47.50 per person including on-site chefs, serving staff and tableware. A 7-course chef's choice walking dinner starts from €62.50 per person. Drinks, venue hire and extras such as furniture are charged separately.

From how many guests do you provide a walking dinner?

We work from 25 guests. Below that, a walking dinner format becomes logistically too costly and a classic dinner or buffet is usually more suitable. Above 400 guests it requires additional staffing and is typically spread across multiple stations.

How long does a walking dinner take?

A 5-course walking dinner takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, from first course to dessert. A 7-course walking dinner takes 3 to 4 hours. Including welcome drink and after-drinks, a complete walking dinner evening is usually 4 to 5 hours in total.

Is a walking dinner suitable at home?

Absolutely. We regularly provide walking dinners at home, in gardens, living rooms or private warehouses. The requirements are sufficient space for high tables, power for the cooking unit and access for our team to load and unload. From around 80 guests, an external venue becomes more practical.

Can you accommodate vegetarian, vegan and allergy requirements?

Always. We cook a vegetarian and vegan variant of every course as standard, and cater to allergies and intolerances per guest. You provide this information in advance via our guest list and we incorporate it into our preparation.

How many serving staff come along?

As standard we work with 1 serving staff member per 12 to 15 guests at a walking dinner. For a group of 60 guests you therefore have 4 to 5 servers plus one or two chefs. For larger events we scale this proportionally.

Can you combine a walking dinner with a DJ or band?

That works perfectly, and we recommend it. Between courses the dance floor is usually at its busiest. We coordinate the volume level with the entertainer, so guests can talk during the courses and dance afterwards.