Greater London · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Barwell, Greater London
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Barwell: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Tapas starters
- Evening sharing boards
Live tapas catering in Barwell
Tapas catering in Barwell, cooked live
We’ll recommend a tapas selection for your event, starter or main event. We’re frequently asked to cater evening sharing boards and drinks parties and receptions, serving patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo and albóndigas.
Canapé tapas suit smaller London spaces in Barwell. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
- Location
- Barwell (KT9, KT10)
- Area hub
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning a tapas spread in Barwell
Barwell is about 2 miles south-east of Esher, in Greater London. Tell us where your event in Barwell will be, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. We cook in all 764 towns and villages in Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 13 miles away.
After a ceremony at a church such as Church of St Mary the Virgin, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Historic houses near Barwell include Fitznells Manor (2.9 miles east) and The Homewood (3 miles west). Where a historic venue doesn’t allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. Barwell is within about 7 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape, ideal for an outdoor reception.
We cook at events all over KT9 and KT10 and the streets around it. We can cater an event on streets such as Barwell Lane, Stevens' Lane and Hill View Road or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Barwell, we also cover Claygate (1 mile north-west), Hook (1 mile north-east), Malden Rushett (1 mile south), Hinchley Wood (2 miles north-west) and Ditton Hill (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include London (14 miles north-east), City of Westminster (13 miles north-east), Marylebone (13 miles north-east), Kensington (11 miles north-east), St Pancras (15 miles north-east) and Hampstead (15 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Chessington Castle Hill (1.2 miles east) and The Ashley Centre (2.7 miles south-east). Open spaces near Barwell include The Lake and Jubilee Wood.
- Local schools include Chessington Community College (0.5 miles east)
- Local facilities include Municipal Borough of Surbiton (1.7 miles north-east)
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Towns and villages near Barwell
Also in Barwell
Planning for every diet
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Tell us what role tapas play
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Include staff for canapés
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
Staff carry canapés round and keep boards topped up.
Add a live paella main.
Barwell: your questions answered
Which station should guests use for Barwell?
Chessington South station, about 0.5 miles east of the centre.
Could we have live paella in Claygate Common?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, since the burners are gas. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a picture.
What happens if it rains?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will talk it through before the day.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Which areas do you serve?
We cover London and the South East, including Greater London. See all areas.
Organising for someone else?
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Occasions we cook for in Barwell
They cover lots of tastes and diets in one spread.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Barwell, people book us for occasions like:
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Launches and office parties
- Anniversary parties
- Engagement celebrations
If you are looking at a historic venue around Barwell, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
Comparing caterers
- VAT, if it applies
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Whether travel is included
- The wet-weather plan
How it works
We work to your timings. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is served at its best. Evening receptions in Barwell stay light until about 8:50pm in late May and 9:20pm in late June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- Send us the date, venue, numbers and serving style.
- We put together a tapas selection and a quote.
- On the day, we set up and prepare the hot tapas there.
- Canapés circulate with drinks, or tapas go to the tables.
- Afterwards, our equipment is cleared away.
Before we arrive
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Get a quote
Send us the date, your venue or KT9 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just fill in our quote form.
Read more
What tapas catering costs
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Travel, parking and access
- How many courses
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Guest numbers
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Details that help
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Where the event is
- What the venue already provides
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The date and rough timings
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Before you choose a spot
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Space on each table
- Space to finish hot dishes
- Parking near the venue
Barwell is in London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking can be tight: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
What we offer
- Albóndigas
- Olives & bread
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Patatas bravas
- Padrón peppers
- Chorizo in red wine
- Gambas al ajillo
- Manchego & membrillo
- Croquetas
What’s in the pans
Croquetas
Always among the first to go.
Tortilla española
A vegetarian favourite when made carefully.
- 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