Some of the best evenings only last two hours.
A tray of perfectly timed passed bites. A few craft cocktails that do what the best drinks always do: make everyone glad they came. Warm hospitality in the room from the moment the first guest walks in.
We are Michelin-trained chefs and award-winning bartenders. When you bring us in for a private chef happy hour, corporate cocktail catering in Chicago, or a private shopping experience, the standard is the same as our private dining service.
The format is just lighter.
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Our Standard
We are traditionalists about one thing: flavor. Our canapés come from classical technique, serious sourcing, and a deep love of the world’s great cuisines, not from novelty. The fun at a Vendador happy hour is that the food is unforgettably delicious, and the people serving it have a way of becoming friends with the room. Genuine connection is our whole idea of hospitality.
Handcrafted á la minute by our Michelin-trained chefs, our canapés are anything but an afterthought. Drawing from seasonal ingredients sourced from Midwest farms, each bite is designed to delight and to keep your guests talking. Our professional servers circulate throughout your event so the food always finds the guest, never the other way around.
Menus are customized and draw from Asian-inspired, French, Mediterranean, and Latin flavor profiles. We also curate dessert tables or passed sweets with our pastry chef.
Our award-winning beverage curator designs seasonal cocktail and spirit-free menus that set the tone for the evening. From a curated selection of craft cocktails for an intimate happy hour, to a premium open bar for larger celebrations, every pour has expertise. Wine and beer receptions are always on the menu.
Vendador has a team of sommeliers. Wine tastings or sommelier service enhances private experiences and sets a unique tone for your guests.
We know a happy hour is never complete without a drink.
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Interactive, elevated, and designed to draw people in. Our food stations go far beyond the standard: think live robata grills, fresh seafood displays on ice, elevated street food with global flavors, your show-stopping grazing tables for charcuterie, and regional culinary displays. Stations are custom designed around your event, your space, and your guests.
The best client relationships are built away from the conference room. A well-executed happy hour, with the right food, the right drinks, and the right energy, does more for a business relationship in two hours than most meetings do in two days.
Vendador brings the same standard to a corporate cocktail hour that we bring to a private dinner. Our team arrives fully equipped, sets up without disruption, and executes with the kind of professionalism that reflects well on whoever did the booking. You focus on your guests. We handle everything else.
We work with companies hosting investor receptions, client entertainment evenings, product launches, pre-dinner cocktail hours, holiday celebrations, and team gatherings of all sizes. Whether you are hosting in your office, a private venue, or a client’s home, the experience travels with us.
We offer full corporate dining including seated dinners, tasting menus, and executive luncheons. Visit our corporate catering page to learn more.
reserve your experience
You have the space, the product, and the guest list. We bring everything else.
Vendador designs passed canapé service, dessert stations, craft cocktails, and champagne programs for private shopping events, collection previews, and retail launches. Our team arrives, sets up, and runs the entire food and beverage experience so you and your staff can focus entirely on your guests and your product.
When the food is this good, people stay longer. And when people stay longer, they connect more deeply with what you are showing them.
Our private retail partners include Cartier, Ferrari, Range Rover, Burdeen’s Jewelry, David Yurman, Wilson, DS Luxury, and Canada Goose.
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Word of Mouth
five stars & over 300 reviews on Google
“Chef Francis and his team did an outstanding job curating a cocktail hour (with passed appetizers) and dinner party for my father’s 80th birthday party. It was an incredible experience. The staff were all extremely friendly and professional, the food was incredible, and when the team left the kitchen was cleaner than when they arrived!”
“Start to finish, the tea party exceeded my expectations. I wanted to set the bar high and leave guests with a memorable experience, and thanks to Chef Francis Pascal and the Vendador team, we did! The menu of finger sandwiches, veggie roll, mini savory tarts, watercress soup and more was on point.”
“Chef Francis and team were all dialed in. From instructions to navigate the venue, the cocktail hour bevs, and then the 7 course meal. The NA pairing was a highlight as well. They do a great job showcasing seasonality and the effort that goes into each dish. 100%% will be back.”
Our event minimum is $2,000, and per person pricing ranges from $75 to $300 depending on your menu, beverage program, and level of service. Every proposal is built custom around your guest count and your vision.
Yes. We cater happy hours in offices, private venues, showrooms, galleries, and homes across Chicagoland, and our equipment travels with us. Because our chefs often cook fresh on site rather than reheating, we always ask about your space’s kitchen and cooking restrictions in advance so we can design the right menu for the room.
From intimate gatherings to receptions of up to 500 guests. Our team scales with your event, from passed canapés for a dozen to full food stations and bar service for hundreds.
We tend to book up about a month out, so we recommend reaching out two to three months ahead, and we accept bookings up to a year in advance. We do occasionally have last minute availability, so it is always worth asking. Contact our team to check your date.
Yes. Vendador is fully licensed and insured for bar service in Chicago, and we can provide certificates of insurance and any documentation your venue or building requires. Explore our full bar and beverage catering program for craft cocktails, wine, champagne, and spirit-free menus.
Every canapé menu, beverage program, and food station we design starts with a conversation and nothing is off the table. If you have a vision that does not fit neatly into a category, tell us. We never compromise the quality of your event for operational convenience.
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