Hampshire · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Drayton, Hampshire
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Drayton. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Engagement drinks
- Cocktail parties
- Sharing boards for evening guests
Tapas catering in Drayton
Drayton questions
Is Drayton too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of All Saints?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
Do you serve drinks with tapas?
We can add sangria and bar staff.
Are the tapas fresh?
Hot tapas are finished on site so they’re served at their best.
Can you do sangria?
Yes, sangria. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Can you cook halal paella?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and it is cooked separately.
Tapas catering in Drayton, made fresh on the day
Tapas are made for sharing and talking over. Canapés go round while guests mingle, or table tapas go out to share. For cocktail parties and launches and office parties, we will put together a menu of tortilla española, albóndigas and Manchego with membrillo and more.
For a country party near Drayton, tapas and sangria set the mood. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Dietary needs and planning tips
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Ask guests about diets and allergies
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
Tapas go out to the tables at the start of the meal.
Staff to serve canapés.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Crisps and nibbles fill a gap. Tapas are a real course. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What you get with us
- Fast service from the pan
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Take a look at Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Occasions we cook for in Drayton
Tapas get people talking.
In Drayton and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Tapas and paella menus
- Evening grazing
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Work receptions
Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Petersfield station, about 4.7 miles east.
Questions to ask before you book
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- The deposit and payment dates
- A clear list of what’s included
- Allergen information for each dish
Planners, venues and businesses
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Drayton? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
What’s in the pans
Croquetas
Always among the first to go.
Manchego & membrillo
Manchego with sweet quince.
Planning a tapas spread in Drayton
Drayton is about 5 miles west of Petersfield, in Hampshire. We cater events at gardens, halls and venues around Drayton. Drayton is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 16 miles away.
After a ceremony at a church such as Church of All Saints, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Historic buildings near Drayton frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue. Drayton is within about 5 miles of the South Downs National Park, ideal for an outdoor reception.
This part of Hampshire takes in GU32, so your event can be anywhere in it. Close by, we cover events in West Meon (2 miles west), Privett (3 miles north), Filmore Hill (3 miles north), Bailey Green (3 miles north) and West Tisted (4 miles north). We also cook in nearby towns such as Winchester (12 miles west), Gosport (14 miles south), Havant (10 miles south), Eastleigh (13 miles west), Fareham (12 miles south-west) and Horndean (7 miles south).
Other landmarks nearby include Clanfield Earthwork (4.8 miles south-east) and Petersfield Community Hospital (4.7 miles east). Not far away are Henwood Down and Shutts Copse.
- Local pubs include The George Inn (1 mile south-east)
Step by step
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan when you’re ready to eat. Sunset in Drayton is around 9:20pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- Tell 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 clear our equipment afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Let us know the timings for the day
Getting a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Places near Drayton
Other catering in Drayton
Planning the cooking area
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- An area to prepare hot tapas
- Space on each table
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
What we offer
- Patatas bravas
- Serrano ham
- Chorizo in red wine
- Albóndigas
- Olives & bread
- Croquetas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
- Padrón peppers
- Manchego & membrillo
DIY paella versus live catering
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
- 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