Kent · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Ashford, Kent
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella for events in Ashford and across Kent.
- Work receptions
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Canapés with welcome drinks
Tapas catering near Ashford
Tapas catering for your event in Ashford
Canapé tapas suit standing receptions; for seated meals, table tapas. Many events have both. Popular choices include Serrano ham, albóndigas and tortilla española, and we are often booked for evening sharing boards and birthday and anniversary parties.
Receptions and parties in Ashford can be at home or at a venue. Tapas work at both. Timings are planned around your event, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Is live paella right for your event?
Tapas are flexible, so they fit most plans. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why book with us
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Places near Ashford
Also in Ashford
Where we can cook in Ashford
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Permission from the venue
- Parking near the venue
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
Popular choices
- Serrano ham
- Gambas al ajillo
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Albóndigas
- Patatas bravas
- Tortilla española
- Olives & bread
- Padrón peppers
- Manchego & membrillo
How we price tapas catering
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- The number of people
- How long we are needed on site
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
The cost per head normally falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Getting an accurate quote
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The date and time of the event
- Where the event is
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Organising for someone else?
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
How the day works
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell generally draws people over. Sunset in Ashford is around 9:15pm in June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- Tell us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish hot tapas on site.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We pack down when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Getting a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Ashford questions
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.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Christ Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
How soon do we need to book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
Is the paella cooked on site?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and it’s cooked separately.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a photo.
What areas do you cover?
We cater across London and the South East, Kent included. See all areas.
How do you work out quantities?
That depends on their role in the meal. We’ll suggest quantities for your event.
Should I cook it myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Tapas for events in Ashford
Ashford is in Kent. For tapas catering in Ashford, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Ashford. Ashford is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Ashford to Canterbury (13 miles away).
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Christ Church. Guests travelling by rail: Ashford International station is in Ashford itself. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Ashford, ideal for an outdoor reception.
Tapas catering in TN23, TN24, TN25 and TN26 is planned around your venue. From Market Lane, Church Road and Station Road or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. With the A20 and A28 close by, Ashford is simple for us to get to. For events just outside Ashford, we cover Stanhope (1 mile south-west), Newtown (1 mile south-east), South Willesborough (1 mile south-east), Godinton (1 mile north-west) and Willesborough (1 mile east). Further out, we also cater in Canterbury (13 miles north-east), Sittingbourne (15 miles north), Folkestone (14 miles east), Faversham (12 miles north), Hythe (10 miles south-east) and Davington (12 miles north). Ashford is one of the larger places we cover in Kent, with lots of choice for events.
Well-known places in the area include William Harvey Hospital (2.1 miles east) and Ashford Designer Outlet (0.6 miles south-east). Open spaces near Ashford include Hatch Park.
- Nearby schools include Ashford School (0.8 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Locomotive pub (within half a mile east)
What’s in the pans
Patatas bravas
Always popular and usually vegetarian.
Gambas al ajillo
Garlic prawns.
Events we cater in Ashford
Easy to eat with a glass in hand.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Evening sharing boards
- Office parties and launches
- Birthday drinks
- Welcome-drink canapés
Historic houses near Ashford include Godinton House (2 miles north-west). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed.
Before booking anyone
- What the price includes, item by item
- When payment is due
- How bad weather is handled
- The deadline for final numbers
- 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