That's the whole formula. Everything below is the math worked out for you, plus what to do about crackers, wine, and the friend who only eats the Brie.
The two numbers that matter
- Appetizer board, dinner is coming: 60 grams per person. People graze, they don't commit.
- Cheese as the main, wine night, aperitivo hour, grazing dinner: 120 to 150 grams per person. With no dinner behind it, the board is dinner.
When in doubt, round up. Leftover cheese is tomorrow's lunch. A picked-clean board at 8 pm is a hosting emergency.
The party math, pre-solved
| Guests | Appetizer board | Cheese is dinner | How many cheeses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 250 g total | 500 to 600 g | 3 |
| 6 | 350 to 400 g | 750 to 900 g | 3 to 4 |
| 8 | 500 g | 1 to 1.2 kg | 4 |
| 12 | 750 g | 1.5 to 1.8 kg | 4 to 5 |
| 20 | 1.2 kg | 2.4 to 3 kg | 5 |
Notice the number of cheeses barely moves. A bigger party means more of each cheese, not more varieties. Five generous wedges will always outclass ten apologetic slivers.
Which 3 to 5 cheeses?
Cover the bases, not the map. A board that works:
- Something soft and creamy. A triple crème or a bloomy goat like Grey Owl. This one vanishes first at every party in recorded history.
- Something firm and aged. A 24-month Comté or a 3-year cheddar. The anchor of the board.
- Something goat or sheep. A fresh chèvre or a 12-month Manchego. Changes the pace entirely.
- Something blue, optional but brave. Even the skeptics reach for a second piece of Bleu d'Auvergne when there's honey within reach.
- Something fun. Our standing recommendation is the Honey Goat, the cheese we hand people when they need a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. This is the one your guests will ask about.
Buy a little extra of the soft one. Trust us on this.
Don't forget the rest of the board
Per person, alongside the cheese:
- Crackers and bread: 4 to 6 crackers or 3 to 4 baguette slices. Roughly one baguette per 6 to 8 guests. The cracker wall has you covered.
- Cured meat, if serving: 30 to 60 grams. Half the cheese quantity is the reliable ratio.
- Accompaniments: a little goes far. One jar of honey or jam, a bowl of olives, and a handful of nuts dresses a board for 8.
- Tinned fish: one tin per 3 to 4 guests. A tin of smoked oysters or sardines beside the cheese turns a board into a spread, and it's the detail people remember.
How much wine per person?
Half a bottle per person across an evening is the standard host math. One bottle pours 5 glasses, so for 8 guests over a few hours, 4 bottles is safe and 5 is gracious. Mix one white or sparkling in with the reds; bubbles flatter more cheeses than any other single bottle in the room.
Quick FAQ
How much cheese do I need for 10 people? About 600 grams for an appetizer board, or 1.2 to 1.5 kilograms if cheese is the main event, split across 4 to 5 cheeses.
Is 3 cheeses enough for a cheese board? Yes. Three well-chosen cheeses in generous portions beat six small ones every time. One soft, one firm, one wildcard.
How far ahead can I make a cheese board? Assemble up to 2 hours ahead, cover loosely, and keep cool. Bring it out 30 to 60 minutes before guests arrive so everything serves at room temperature, where the flavour actually lives.
What if I'd rather not do the math at all? That's what our platters are for. Tell us the headcount and the occasion, and we'll build the board. It's genuinely our favourite part of the job.
Good Cheese is a specialty cheese, wine, and tinned fish shop at 614 Gerrard St E in Toronto's East Chinatown, shipping across the GTA and Canada-wide. Tell us how many people you're feeding and we'll do the math at the counter.