Kent · England
Tapas Catering for Biddenden events
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Biddenden. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Engagement celebrations
- Tapas starters
- Drinks parties and receptions
Tapas catering in Biddenden
Why live cooking beats a buffet
If you want food that encourages guests to mingle, tapas are hard to beat. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What you get with us
- Catering across Kent, including Biddenden
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Take a look at How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Tapas catering for your event in Biddenden
We can add sangria and bar staff, so drinks and nibbles come from one booking. Typical bookings include welcome-drink canapés and tapas starters, serving gambas al ajillo, padrón peppers and albóndigas.
In a rural spot like Biddenden, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Working with your venue
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Biddenden? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Drinks receptions around Biddenden
Biddenden is about 10 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. Tell us where your event in Biddenden will be, and we will plan the journey and set-up. Biddenden is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. Our events stretch from Biddenden to Canterbury (22 miles away).
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Parish Church of All Saints. For guests coming by train, Headcorn station is about 3.5 miles away. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Biddenden, ideal for an outdoor reception.
Anywhere in TN27, we can bring tapas catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. We can cater an event on streets such as High Street, The Meadows and Cloth Hall Gardens. Other places close to Biddenden for tapas catering include Curteis' Corner (1 mile north-east), Woolpack Corner (1 mile south-east), Standen (1 mile north-east), Hareplain (1 mile north-west) and Stede Quarter (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (11 miles north-west), Ashford (10 miles east), Kings Hill (15 miles north-west), Foley Park (12 miles north-west), Paddock Wood (12 miles west) and Tenterden (4 miles south-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Benenden Hospital (2.3 miles south-west) and Sissinghurst Castle (2.6 miles west).
- Local pubs include The Red Lion Inn (under half a mile south-east)
A closer look at the menu
Croquetas
Creamy croquettes with a crisp coat.
Manchego & membrillo
Manchego with sweet quince.
Catering for every guest
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Book staff to carry canapés round
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
- Label seafood clearly
Dishes are labelled for diets and allergens.
Bar staff and sangria.
Common questions in Biddenden
We are having a ceremony at Parish Church of All Saints: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
What’s the nearest station to Biddenden for guests?
The closest is Headcorn station, roughly 3.5 miles away.
Do you cook tapas on site?
We finish hot dishes on site; cold ones go out as guests arrive.
What do you need at the venue?
Less than you might think: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a picture.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
What does tapas catering cost?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we will reply with a price.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
How many different paellas?
Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
Other catering in Biddenden
Planning the cooking area
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Room for a tapas table
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
On the menu in Biddenden
- Gambas al ajillo
- Padrón peppers
- Croquetas
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Olives & bread
- Manchego & membrillo
- Albóndigas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Patatas bravas
DIY paella versus live catering
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
How we price tapas catering
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Timings and hours
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Parking and unloading
- How many guests are eating
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
What to tell us
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The courses you’d like
- Any dietary needs and allergies
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Tell us about your event in Biddenden, and we will put together a menu and price.
Step by step
Expect a friendly, organised team. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and cook and serve without fuss. A summer drinks reception in Biddenden has daylight until about 9:15pm at midsummer, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it’s dark around 7:00pm, and in December by about 3:50pm.
- 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 go round with the drinks, or table tapas go out to share.
- Afterwards, our equipment is cleared away.
Preparing for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Getting a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Read more
- 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