The story

Two hundred and fifty guests standing, seven bites that fit in one hand

These bites were served at Aïcha & Karim's drinks reception in Abidjan, for two hundred and fifty guests. A drinks reception is eaten standing, with a glass in the other hand: every piece is taken in a single movement, eaten in one mouthful, and needs no explanation.

The savoury line opens on the sea — prawns on beetroot, a seafood duo on blinis, pesto mozzarella and prawn served in a green bean. Then come smoked salmon and cucumber bagels, and cheese brioche rolls for those who set fish aside.

The move to sweet is not abrupt: sweet-and-savoury bites make the transition, before pistachio, pecan and chocolate tartlets, then caramel and hazelnut petits fours.

Everything is made in our own kitchen, with no subcontracting, arranged on slate and delivered ready to serve. At this scale, consistency matters as much as the recipe: two hundred and fifty guests means several hundred pieces that must all look alike.