Kent · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Bidborough, Kent
Paella for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Bidborough.
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Table tapas as a starter
Book tapas catering in Bidborough
About our tapas catering in Bidborough
For standing receptions, canapés work best; for seated meals, table tapas. Many events have both. Typical bookings include tapas and paella menus and birthday drinks, serving gambas al ajillo, Manchego with membrillo and albóndigas.
In a rural spot like Bidborough, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
For planners, venues and organisers
Throwing a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Prices and what affects them
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- How long we are needed on site
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Your choice of paellas
- How many staff you need
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
What to tell us
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Which courses you have in mind
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
DIY paella versus live catering
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
How the day works
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. A summer drinks reception in Bidborough has daylight until about 9:20pm at midsummer, perfect for canapés outdoors. In late September, sunset is about 7:05pm; winter receptions, dark by 3:55pm, are better indoors.
- We check your date.
- You pick the style.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- We clear away at the end.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Tell us when you want to eat
Getting a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just fill in our quote form.
Read more
Dietary needs and planning tips
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Add sangria or cava
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Let us know if tapas are a starter or the main event
Canapés go round with the drinks.
Waiting staff for canapés.
About the dishes
Patatas bravas
Crisp potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce.
Croquetas
Always among the first to go.
What we need at the venue
Before the day, we’ll agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Unloading access
- Space for a serving table or station
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
What we offer
- Serrano ham
- Chorizo in red wine
- Patatas bravas
- Albóndigas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
- Croquetas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Padrón peppers
- Olives & bread
Drinks receptions around Bidborough
Bidborough is about 3 miles north-west of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. For tapas catering in Bidborough, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Bidborough is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our nearest city page is London, about 27 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Penshurst Place (2.3 miles west) and Groombridge Place (4.1 miles south-west). Where a historic venue doesn’t allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. Historic buildings near Bidborough often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue.
This part of Kent takes in TN3 and TN4, so your event can be anywhere in it. From High Street, Rectory Drive and Glebelands or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. Nearby, we also cater events in Stockland Green (1 mile south), Printstile (1 mile west), Southborough (1 mile south-east), Speldhurst (1 mile south-west) and Lower Haysden (1 mile north). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (14 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (8 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (3 miles south-east), Tonbridge (3 miles north-east), Kings Hill (10 miles north-east) and Foley Park (15 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Tonbridge Cottage Hospital (1.7 miles north-east) and Tonbridge Castle (2.5 miles north-east). The countryside around Bidborough includes Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve and Barden Lake.
- Nearby schools include St Gregory's Catholic School (1.6 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Beehive Public House (0.7 miles south-east)
Nearby places to Bidborough
What else we do in Bidborough
Bidborough: your questions answered
Can you cater a reception after a service at Parish Church of St Lawrence?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook in Haysden Country Park?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
How soon do we need to book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so it pays to ask early.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
Can we have tapas without paella?
Absolutely.
What do you need at the venue?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Do you serve drinks with tapas?
Sangria and bar staff can be added.
Why choose tapas catering in Bidborough?
They suit standing receptions where a full meal does not fit.
Whatever you are celebrating in Bidborough, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Evening grazing
- Drinks reception canapés
- Tapas and paella menus
A picnic in Haysden Country Park? Check the park’s rules first; a garden or hired venue is frequently easier for catering.
Comparing caterers
- Whether VAT is included
- How late numbers can change
- Space, access and power needs
- How each diet is kept separate
- 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