Kent · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Ashbank, Kent
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Ashbank. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Birthday drinks
- Tapas before paella
- Drinks reception canapés
Tapas catering for Ashbank events
Working with your venue
If you are organising for someone else, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Ashbank? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Tapas catering in Ashbank, made fresh on the day
We finish hot tapas on site, so they’re served at their best. Typical bookings include tapas with a paella main course and evening sharing boards, serving gambas al ajillo, Manchego with membrillo and albóndigas.
For a country party near Ashbank, tapas and sangria set the mood. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
Ashbank questions
Which station should guests use for Ashbank?
Hollingbourne station, about 1.1 miles north-east of the centre.
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
How much is live paella catering?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
Do you serve drinks with tapas?
Sangria, yes, plus bar staff for your own drinks.
How many different paellas?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Do you cook tapas on site?
We finish hot dishes on site; cold ones go out as guests arrive.
How long do you need on site?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and it is cooked separately.
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Tell us what role tapas play
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
- Make sure dishes are labelled
- Add sangria or cava
Canapés go round with the drinks as guests arrive.
Crockery and serving dishes.
Receptions and parties in Ashbank
Ashbank is about 4 miles east of Maidstone, in Kent. For an event in Ashbank, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Ashbank is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 20 miles away.
After a ceremony at a church such as St Nicholas's Church, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Nearby historic houses include Leeds Castle (0.6 miles east) and Stoneacre (1.7 miles west). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 2 miles of Ashbank, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
We cook at events all over ME17. Streets in the area include George Lane and Wykeham Grove, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Other places close to Ashbank for tapas catering include Leeds (1 mile south-west), Broomfield (1 mile south-east), Eyhorne Street (1 mile north-east), Chegworth (1 mile east) and Hollingbourne (2 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (4 miles west), Ashford (13 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (8 miles north-east), Tonbridge (15 miles west), Faversham (12 miles east) and Minster (14 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include KIMS hospital (3.6 miles north-west) and The Dog Collar Museum (0.6 miles east). Not far away are Detling Hill.
- Pubs nearby include The George Inn (less than half a mile south-west)
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Paella compared with other options
Standard canapés can feel samey. Spanish tapas bring colour and flavour. Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We will send you a quote.
What you get with us
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Also in Ashbank
How it works
A typical event goes like this: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and it’s served hot from the pan at the agreed time. At midsummer, it’s light in Ashbank until about 9:15pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. In late September, sunset is about 7:00pm; winter receptions, dark by 3:50pm, are better indoors.
- You tell us the date, venue, numbers and how you’d like the tapas served.
- We suggest a selection and confirm a quote.
- On the day we arrive, set up and finish the hot tapas on site.
- Canapés circulate with drinks, or tapas go to the tables.
- Afterwards, our equipment is cleared away.
Getting ready for the day
- Give us a contact for the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Let us know the timings for the day
Getting a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Events we cater in Ashbank
They work for any size of event.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. In Ashbank, people book us for occasions like:
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Work receptions
- Tapas before paella
- Engagement drinks
Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Hollingbourne station, about 1.1 miles north-east.
What your quote should include
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Allergen information for each dish
- The deposit and payment dates
- A clear list of what’s included
Planning the cooking area
If a space is not suitable, we will tell you, and suggest an alternative. The main points are:
- Space to finish hot dishes
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Parking near the venue
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Popular choices
- Olives & bread
- Chorizo in red wine
- Croquetas
- Padrón peppers
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
- Gambas al ajillo
- Albóndigas
- Serrano ham
- Patatas bravas
The menu, dish by dish
Gambas al ajillo
Popular with prawn fans.
Manchego & membrillo
Manchego with sweet quince.
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff