West Berkshire · England
Tapas Catering for Cold Ash events
Planning tapas catering in Cold Ash? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Anniversary parties
- Tapas with a paella main course
Tapas catering in Cold Ash
How our tapas catering works in Cold Ash
Hot tapas are finished on site, so they’re served at their best. We cook tortilla española, albóndigas and padrón peppers, and typical bookings are for tapas with a paella main course and evening grazing.
Near Cold Ash, tapas suit gardens, barns and marquees. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
- Where
- Cold Ash (RG18)
- County
- West Berkshire
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
The process
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. A summer drinks reception in Cold Ash has daylight until about 9:25pm at midsummer, ideal for tapas in the garden. By late September it is dark around 7:10pm, and in December by about 4:00pm.
- Tell us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish hot tapas on site.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Read more
DIY paella versus live catering
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Cold Ash questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at St. Mark's Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Which station should guests use for Cold Ash?
Thatcham station, about 2.3 miles south-east of the centre.
Do you do desserts?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
How many different paellas?
Generally two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Is it really cooked live?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
Do you serve drinks with tapas?
Sangria and bar staff can be added.
Do you cover Cold Ash?
We do. Cold Ash is one of the places we cover. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Also near Cold Ash
More for events in Cold Ash
About the dishes
Croquetas
Always among the first to go.
Tortilla española
Potato omelette cut into bites.
For planners, venues and organisers
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Live paella or other catering?
Tapas can be a starter, a reception or the whole meal, so they fit most plans. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What you get with us
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Catering across West Berkshire, including Cold Ash
- Fast service from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Planning the cooking area
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Space to finish hot dishes
- Space on each table
- Venue approval for outside catering
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
What we offer
- Gambas al ajillo
- Manchego & membrillo
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Chorizo in red wine
- Albóndigas
- Patatas bravas
- Croquetas
- Padrón peppers
- Olives & bread
Catering for every guest
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
- Ensure dishes are labelled
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
- Book staff to carry canapés round
Table tapas are set down to share at the start of the meal.
Follow tapas with a live paella.
Planning a tapas spread in Cold Ash
Cold Ash is about 2 miles north of Thatcham, in West Berkshire. Anywhere in RG18, we can bring the pans to you. We cook in all 155 towns and villages across West Berkshire. You can also see our page for Reading, about 13 miles away.
Guests travelling by rail: Thatcham station is about 2.3 miles away. If you are looking at a historic venue around Cold Ash, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. The North Wessex Downs National Landscape is within about 7 miles of Cold Ash, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
We cater events across the RG18 postcode area. From Harewood Drive, Johnson's Lane and Walters Close or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Ashmore Green (1 mile south-west), Stone Copse (1 mile west), Longlane (2 miles north-west), Thatcham (2 miles south) and Wellhouse (2 miles north). We also cook in nearby towns such as Newbury (3 miles south-west), Burghfield Common (9 miles east), Speenhamland (3 miles south-west), Hungerford (11 miles west), Spencers Wood (13 miles east) and Calcot (9 miles east).
A little further out are West Berkshire Community Hospital (1.8 miles south-west) and British Balloon Museum & Library Ltd (3 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Nature Discovery Centre.
- Schools near Cold Ash include Kennet School (1.8 miles south-east)
Occasions we cook for in Cold Ash
They’re easy to eat with a drink in hand.
In Cold Ash and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Tapas and paella menus
- Work receptions
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Birthday and anniversary parties
After a ceremony at a church such as St. Mark's Church, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos.
Questions to ask before you book
- Staff numbers and hours
- Who provides the crockery
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- 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