West Sussex · England
Tapas Catering for Copthorne events
Love Paella cooks Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Copthorne and nearby, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Tapas and paella menus
- Engagement parties
- Welcome-drink canapés
Tapas catering in Copthorne
Tapas catering in Copthorne, made fresh on the day
Tapas and paella go hand in hand, served while the paella cooks, but they work on their own too. For tapas with a paella main course and evening sharing boards, we can cook patatas bravas, Serrano ham and Manchego with membrillo and more.
Tapas make a party in Copthorne easy and sociable. Timings are planned around your event, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Location
- Copthorne (RH10, RH6)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
A closer look at the menu
Patatas bravas
A tapas classic and generally vegetarian.
Croquetas
Crisp outside, creamy inside, often with ham or mushroom.
Paella compared with other options
Generic canapés all look the same. Spanish tapas bring colour and flavour. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why choose Love Paella in Copthorne
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Events in Copthorne and across West Sussex
- A quote that spells everything out
Read How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Organising for someone else?
Hosting a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Common questions in Copthorne
Is Copthorne close to London?
Roughly 25 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St John's Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Are there vegetarian tapas?
Plenty are vegetarian, such as tortilla, bravas and padrón peppers. Each dish is labelled.
Is tapas catering available separately?
Yes, tapas work on their own.
What space do you need to cook?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
Who books tapas catering in Copthorne?
Big or small, tapas work.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Copthorne:
- Engagement parties
- Drinks reception canapés
- Sharing tapas starters
- Sharing boards for evening guests
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Copthorne, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
Before booking anyone
- What happens if it rains
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Allergen information for each dish
- The deadline for final numbers
What happens on the day
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. At midsummer, it is light in Copthorne until about 9:20pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it’s dark around 7:05pm, and in December by about 3:55pm.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
How to get a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Check diets in advance
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Add sangria or cava
- Label seafood clearly
Dishes are labelled for diets and allergens.
Waiting staff for canapés.
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Permission from the venue
- Space for a serving table or station
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think.
What we offer
- Manchego & membrillo
- Gambas al ajillo
- Olives & bread
- Padrón peppers
- Patatas bravas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Albóndigas
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Croquetas
DIY paella versus live catering
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.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Nearby places to Copthorne
More for events in Copthorne
Drinks receptions around Copthorne
Copthorne is about 3 miles north-east of Crawley, in West Sussex. Tell us where your event in Copthorne will be, and we will plan the journey and set-up. We cook in all 371 towns and villages across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Copthorne to Brighton (21 miles away).
A picnic in Worth Park Gardens? Check the park’s rules first; a garden or hired venue is often easier for catering. Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Gatwick Airport station, about 2 miles north-west. Copthorne is within about 8 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
This part of West Sussex takes in RH10 and RH6, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Your event could be at a home on Church Road, Brookside and Bridgelands or the roads around them. You will find Copthorne on the A264, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. Other places close to Copthorne for tapas catering include Shipley Bridge (1 mile north-west), Forge Wood (1 mile west), Tinsley Green (1 mile west), Burstow (1 mile north) and Keeper's Corner (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (3 miles south-west), Horsham (10 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (10 miles south), Burgess Hill (12 miles south), East Grinstead (5 miles east) and Broadfield (4 miles south-west).
Well-known places in the area include Effingham Park Motor Museum (1.6 miles east) and County Mall (3 miles south-west). The countryside around Copthorne includes Hedgecourt Lake.
- Local schools include Hazelwick School (1.9 miles south-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Cherry Tree pub (0.8 miles north-east)
- 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