Greater London · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Chessington, Greater London
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Chessington and the surrounding area.
- Sharing tapas starters
- Engagement celebrations
- Canapés with welcome drinks
Book tapas catering in Chessington
Paella compared with other options
A plated starter needs a kitchen and staff. Table tapas are relaxed and sociable. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We’ll send you a quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Chessington
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- A clear, itemised quote
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
Take a look at Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
How our tapas catering works in Chessington
Plenty of tapas are vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers, and several can be made gluten-free. For welcome-drink canapés and sharing tapas starters, we’ll put together a menu of albóndigas, gambas al ajillo and padrón peppers for your guests.
For a London drinks party in Chessington, canapé tapas are easy to serve in a small space. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Location
- Chessington (KT9, KT19, KT6)
- County
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Places near Chessington
More for events in Chessington
Questions from Chessington
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Mary the Virgin: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
What’s the nearest station to Chessington for guests?
Chessington has its own station: Chessington North station.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
Do you cover Chessington?
Yes. We cater across London and the South East, and Chessington is within our area and the rest of Greater London. To check your date, use our quote form.
Do you have vegetarian tapas?
Many tapas are naturally vegetarian, such as tortilla, bravas and padrón peppers. Each dish is labelled.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
If you need them, yes. Proper crockery or quality disposables are available.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria can be added, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
What tapas catering costs
These are the factors that matter most:
- Parking and unloading
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The number of people
- Your choice of paellas
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Details that help
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- What the venue already provides
- Roughly how many adults and children
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Receptions and parties in Chessington
Chessington is about 2 miles north-west of Epsom, in Greater London. For tapas catering in Chessington, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Chessington. We cover all 764 towns and villages across Greater London. You can also see our page for London, about 13 miles away.
If you are looking at a historic venue around Chessington, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. Nearby historic houses include Fitznells Manor (2.2 miles east) and Nonsuch Mansion (3.1 miles east). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed. Chessington is within about 8 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
We cater events across KT9, KT19 and KT6. From Elm Road, Cox Lane and Moor Lane or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. Main roads around Chessington include the A243, which makes travel to your event easy. Other places close to Chessington for tapas catering include Horton (1 mile south), Old Malden (2 miles north-east), Tolworth (2 miles north-east), Surbiton (2 miles north) and Worcester Park (2 miles east). We also cook in nearby towns such as London (13 miles north-east), City of Westminster (12 miles north-east), Marylebone (13 miles north-east), Kensington (10 miles north-east), St Pancras (14 miles north-east) and Shoreditch (15 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include The Ashley Centre (2.6 miles south-east) and Cockney Museum (2.3 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Kingston Hill Road area and Bonesgate Open Space.
- Local schools include Chessington Community College (0.6 miles south-west) and Shrewsbury House School (1.2 miles north)
- Other local spots include Municipal Borough of Surbiton (0.8 miles north)
How the day works
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Guests normally gather round to watch while it cooks. A summer drinks reception in Chessington has daylight until about 9:20pm at midsummer, 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 and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish hot tapas on site.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We pack down when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Get a quote
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Who books tapas catering in Chessington?
They’re the classic starter before paella.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Tapas before paella
- Anniversary parties
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Tapas starters
After a ceremony at a church such as Church of St Mary the Virgin, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos.
Before you book anyone
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- VAT, if it applies
- When payment is due
- When final numbers are due
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
The menu, dish by dish
Patatas bravas
Fried potatoes with spicy sauce.
Gambas al ajillo
Garlic prawns with a little chilli.
Where we can cook in Chessington
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Space to finish hot dishes
- Access to unload near the serving area
- Room for a tapas table
As a London location, Chessington is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
Menu ideas
- Tortilla española
- Croquetas
- Serrano ham
- Gambas al ajillo
- Manchego & membrillo
- Chorizo in red wine
- Albóndigas
- Patatas bravas
- Olives & bread
- Padrón peppers
Organising for someone else?
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
- 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