Maître d'hôtel for a buffet: how many and what budget

Company buffet: 1 maître d'hôtel per 20 to 40 guests. Budgets for 50, 100 and 150 people, and the breakfast case, at €250 excl. VAT for 6 hours.

For a company buffet, allow 1 maître d'hôtel per 20 to 40 guests, closer to 1 per 30 with a hot buffet and hard crockery. At L'Écrin Traiteur, a maître d'hôtel costs €250 excl. VAT for 6 hours: 4 maîtres d'hôtel for a buffet of 100 people come to €1,000 excl. VAT.

How many maîtres d'hôtel by number of guests?

Guests	Maîtres d'hôtel	Service budget excl. VAT	Per guest
50	2	€500	€10.00
100	3 to 5	€750 to €1,250	€7.50 to €12.50
150	4 to 7	€1,000 to €1,750	€6.67 to €11.67

For a dinner cocktail reception, allow 1 maître d'hôtel per 25 to 30 guests; for plain drinks with disposable crockery, 1 per 50 to 80. The detail by format is in how many maîtres d'hôtel for a company event.

What does the maître d'hôtel do on a buffet?

Sets up the buffet: laying out the dishes, the platters and the drinks before the guests arrive.
Restocks the canapés and the drinks during the service.
Clears the plates and glasses, and keeps the table clean.
Keeps the timing with the organiser: opening the buffet, desserts, end of service.
Packs up and puts the venue back in order at the end.

Do you need a maître d'hôtel for a delivered buffet?

Not necessarily. A buffet delivered ready to serve, with disposable crockery, can be handled without service staff. A maître d'hôtel earns their place when the buffet runs long, when there are hot dishes or hard crockery, and from around forty guests. Below that, your own team can restock.

And for an office breakfast?

For a breakfast or a break, the ratio is 1 maître d'hôtel per 50 to 80 guests, 1 per 50 with hard crockery. For 20 people self-service it is not essential. It becomes useful if you want someone to set up, restock and clear during the morning: say so when you ask for a quote, with the hours of the service, for example 9 am to 10 am. A breakfast for 20 people comes to €340.80 excl. VAT including delivery (see breakfast for 20 people).

How much does a maître d'hôtel cost?

In Paris, service is generally charged at €30 to €50 an hour, with a minimum of 3 or 4 hours. At L'Écrin Traiteur: €250 excl. VAT for 6 hours, set-up and clearing included. The maîtres d'hôtel are selected and trained by our own house.

How do you order?

State in your quote request the number of guests, the format, the duration including set-up and clearing, the type of crockery and the access to the venue. Service is added to a cocktail reception, a sharing buffet or a live cooking station. For a seated dinner, see maître d'hôtel for a seated dinner.

L'Écrin Traiteur prices, October 2026, in euros excluding VAT. Calculation: products plus one delivery at €29 excl. VAT, Paris and nearby towns. Minimum order €50 excl. VAT.

Frequently asked questions about the maître d'hôtel for a buffet

How many maîtres d'hôtel for a buffet of 100 people?

3 to 5 for a standing buffet, depending on the crockery and the hot dishes, which is €750 to €1,250 excl. VAT at €250 excl. VAT per maître d'hôtel for 6 hours.

Do you need a maître d'hôtel for a delivered buffet?

Not necessarily. A buffet delivered ready to serve, with disposable crockery, can be handled without service staff; a maître d'hôtel earns their place to restock, clear, plate the hot dishes and keep the timing, especially from around forty guests.

What ratio for a buffet?

One maître d'hôtel per 20 to 40 guests, closer to 1 per 30 with a hot buffet and hard crockery. For a dinner cocktail reception: 1 per 25 to 30 guests.

How much does a maître d'hôtel cost for a buffet?

At L'Écrin Traiteur, €250 excl. VAT for a 6-hour service, set-up and clearing included. For a buffet of 100 people with 4 maîtres d'hôtel, the service comes to €1,000 excl. VAT, that is €10.00 excl. VAT per person.

And for a breakfast?

The ratio drops to one maître d'hôtel per 50 to 80 guests for a breakfast or a break, 1 per 50 with hard crockery. For 20 people self-service it is not essential: it mainly helps with the set-up, the restocking and the clearing.

What should you state when asking for a quote?

The number of guests, the format (standing or seated), the duration including set-up and clearing, the type of crockery, the number of spaces and the access to the venue. The number of maîtres d'hôtel is then proposed to measure.