East Sussex · England
Tapas Catering for Barcombe events
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Barcombe. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Office parties and launches
- Tapas before paella
- Receptions and drinks parties
Tapas catering in Barcombe
Tapas catering in Barcombe, cooked live
We can add sangria and bar staff, so drinks and nibbles come from one booking. Typical bookings include tapas and paella menus and sharing boards for evening guests, serving Serrano ham, gambas al ajillo and patatas bravas.
For a country party near Barcombe, tapas and sangria set the mood. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan.
- Area
- Barcombe (BN8)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
The process
Watching it cook is half the fun. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook. At midsummer, it is light in Barcombe until about 9:15pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it is dark around 7:05pm, and in December by about 3:55pm.
- Send us the date, venue, numbers and serving style.
- We suggest a selection and confirm a quote.
- We arrive, set up and finish hot dishes on site.
- Canapés go round with the drinks, or table tapas go out to share.
- We clear away our equipment when service is finished.
Preparing for the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Tell us when you want to eat
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Dietary needs and planning tips
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Tell us what role tapas play
- Label vegetarian and allergen-free dishes
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
- Label seafood clearly
Each dish is labelled.
Spanish desserts to finish.
About the dishes
Patatas bravas
Always popular and typically vegetarian.
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
Planning a tapas spread in Barcombe
Barcombe is about 3 miles north of Lewes, in East Sussex. Wherever your event is in the BN8 area, we can cook for your guests. Barcombe is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we cook. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 9 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Cooksbridge station is about 1.5 miles away. Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like The Parish Church of St Mary. Barcombe is within about 3 miles of the South Downs National Park, ideal for an outdoor reception.
This part of East Sussex takes in BN8, so your event can be anywhere in it. Nearby, we also cater events in Barcombe Mills (1 mile east), Barcombe Cross (1 mile north), Upper Wellingham (1 mile south-east), Mount Pleasant (1 mile north) and Cooksbridge (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (15 miles south-east), Seaford (10 miles south), Lewes (3 miles south), Hailsham (11 miles east), Crowborough (11 miles north-east) and Uckfield (5 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Lewes Castle (3 miles south) and St John under the Castle Lewes (2.6 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Offham Hill and Malling Down.
- Schools near Barcombe include Ringmer Community College and Sixth Form (2.5 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include Anglers Rest pub (0.5 miles east)
Nearby places to Barcombe
Other catering in Barcombe
Why live cooking beats a buffet
If you want food that encourages guests to mingle, tapas are hard to beat. The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why us?
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Organising for someone else?
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Barcombe? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Occasions we cook for in Barcombe
One spread covers many tastes and diets.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Drinks reception canapés
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Tapas before paella
- Receptions and drinks parties
Historic houses near Barcombe include Glyndebourne (3.2 miles south-east) and Anne of Cleves House (3.2 miles south). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed.
Questions to ask before booking
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- The wet-weather plan
- When final numbers are due
Before you choose a spot
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- A spot for our serving station
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
- Permission from the venue
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
What we offer
- Albóndigas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Padrón peppers
- Gambas al ajillo
- Olives & bread
- Serrano ham
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
- Patatas bravas
- Croquetas
Barcombe: your questions answered
We are having a ceremony at The Parish Church of St Mary: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
What’s the nearest station to Barcombe for guests?
The closest is Cooksbridge station, roughly 1.5 miles away.
How many different paellas?
Two or three covers most guests. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Do you do starters?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
Can you do sangria?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Can you cook in the rain?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
- 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