Medway · England
Tapas Catering for Chatham events
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Chatham: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests.
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Engagement drinks
- Tapas with a paella main course
Book tapas catering in Chatham
About the dishes
Gambas al ajillo
A favourite with seafood lovers.
Tortilla española
Tortilla is vegetarian and naturally gluten-free.
How our tapas catering works in Chatham
A good spread mixes hot and cold: Manchego, Serrano ham and olives alongside patatas bravas, croquetas and gambas al ajillo. Whether it’s office parties and launches and drinks parties and receptions, we can cook patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo and Serrano ham and more.
Canapés keep a reception in Chatham moving. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
More for events in Chatham
Who books tapas catering in Chatham?
They suit standing receptions where a full meal does not fit.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. In Chatham, people book us for events such as:
- Drinks reception canapés
- Work receptions
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Anniversary parties
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Chatham, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
What to look for in a quote
- How long the team stays
- A clear list of what’s included
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- When payment is due
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Label vegetarian and allergen-free dishes
- Check diets in advance
- Let us know if tapas are a starter or the main event
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
Table tapas are set down to share.
Crockery and serving dishes.
Drinks receptions around Chatham
Chatham is about 29 miles east of London, in Medway. Wherever your event is in the ME5 area, we can cook for your guests. We cover all 68 towns and villages in Medway, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Chatham to Canterbury (24 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Restoration House (2.4 miles north-west) and Temple Manor (2.9 miles north-west). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed. For guests coming by train, Chatham station is about 1.7 miles away. Chatham is within about 8 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, ideal for an outdoor reception.
Here we cover the ME5, ME4, ME7 and ME1 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Your event could be at a home on Luton High Street, Market Place and High Street or the roads around them. Chatham sits on or near the A2 and A229, which makes travel to your event easy. Other places close to Chatham for tapas catering include Luton (1 mile north), Hale (1 mile north-east), Darland (1 mile east), Capstone (1 mile east) and Walderslade (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Rochester (3 miles north-west), Rainham (3 miles east), Strood (3 miles north-west), Park Wood (3 miles east), Twydall (3 miles north-east) and Hoo St Werburgh (5 miles north). Chatham is among the bigger towns we cover in Medway, with plenty of venues for events.
Nearby you’ll also find Medway Maritime Hospital (1.7 miles north) and Six Poor Travellers House (2.5 miles north-west). Open spaces near Chatham include Blue Bell Hill and Burham Down.
- Schools near Chatham include Walderslade Girls' School (less than half a mile south-west) and Walderslade Girls' School (under half a mile south-west)
- Local pubs include The Huntsman pub (0.9 miles north-west)
- Other local spots include Chatham Free Library (1.6 miles north) and City of Rochester-upon-Medway (2.9 miles north-west)
Your questions about tapas catering in Chatham
Could we have live paella in Darland Banks?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
Can you cook at venues in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Do you do desserts?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, Medway included. See all areas.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
How much tapas do we need?
Quantities depend on timing and courses. Tell us more and we will advise.
Are the tapas served hot?
We finish hot dishes on site; cold tapas are laid out as guests arrive.
How we price tapas catering
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Whether you need crockery
- Timings and hours
- How many staff you need
- Distance and access to the venue
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Getting an accurate quote
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- The date and time of the event
- The venue or postcode
- What the venue already provides
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Where we can cook in Chatham
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- Access to unload near the serving area
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- A spot for our serving station
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
What we offer
- Padrón peppers
- Tortilla española
- Serrano ham
- Gambas al ajillo
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Patatas bravas
- Albóndigas
- Olives & bread
- Manchego & membrillo
Paella compared with other options
Crisps and nibbles fill a gap. Tapas are a real course. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why Chatham hosts choose us
- Events in Chatham and across Medway
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
See Our prices page And The cost guide.
Step by step
Serving is fast: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. Evening receptions in Chatham 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 and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Give us a contact for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Getting a price
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can use 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