Kent · England
Tapas Catering in Dungeness
Paella for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Dungeness.
- Birthday drinks
- Tapas before paella
- Sharing boards for evening guests
Live tapas catering in Dungeness
How our tapas catering works in Dungeness
Plenty of tapas are vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers, and several can be made gluten-free. Whether it is birthday and anniversary parties and sharing boards for evening guests, we’ll put together a menu of croquetas, padrón peppers and tortilla española for your guests.
For a country party near Dungeness, tapas and sangria set the mood. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
What we need at the venue
No two venues are the same, so we’ll ask about yours before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Permission from the venue
- Unloading access
- Space for a serving table or station
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
On the menu in Dungeness
- Chorizo in red wine
- Olives & bread
- Manchego & membrillo
- Gambas al ajillo
- Croquetas
- Tortilla española
- Padrón peppers
- Serrano ham
- Albóndigas
- Patatas bravas
How we price tapas catering
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Whether you need crockery
- How many courses
- How many guests are eating
- How many staff you need
Larger events normally cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What we need to know
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Which courses you have in mind
- The date and rough timings
- A picture of where we’d cook
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Catering for every guest
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Make sure dishes are labelled
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
- Canapés need staff to serve
- Collect dietary needs
Table tapas are set down to share.
Waiting staff for canapés.
About the dishes
Patatas bravas
Crisp potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce, frequently with alioli.
Tortilla española
Tortilla is vegetarian and naturally gluten-free when made carefully.
The process
Your timings come first. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we adjust the cooking so it is served at its best. A summer drinks reception in Dungeness has daylight until about 9:15pm at midsummer, perfect for canapés outdoors. In late September, sunset is about 7:00pm; winter receptions, dark by 3:50pm, are better indoors.
- We check your date.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- Hot and cold tapas are served.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
Preparing for the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
Get a quote
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: use our quote form.
Related guides
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. 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 be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Perfect for your event in Dungeness
They cover lots of tastes and diets in one spread.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Launches and office parties
- Table tapas as a starter
Historic buildings near Dungeness frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue.
Questions to ask before booking
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Allergen information for each dish
- Payment terms and deposit
- VAT, if it applies
Working with your venue
If you are 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 saves passing messages back and forth.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Tapas for events in Dungeness
Dungeness is about 11 miles south-west of Hythe, in Kent. We cater events at gardens, halls and venues around Dungeness and the surrounding area. Dungeness is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 25 miles away.
Anywhere in TN29, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. From Dungeness Road and Reactoe One Road or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Lydd-on-Sea (2 miles north), Greatstone-on-Sea (4 miles north), Lydd (4 miles north-west), Littlestone-on-Sea (4 miles north) and New Romney (5 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Folkestone (14 miles north-east), Hythe (11 miles north-east), Cheriton (14 miles north-east), South Willesborough (15 miles north), Dymchurch (8 miles north) and Willesborough (15 miles north).
A little further out are Lydd Town Museum (3.7 miles north-west). The countryside around Dungeness includes RSPB Dungeness and Burnthouse Pen.
- Nearby, you will find Britannia Inn (0.5 miles south)
Dungeness: your questions answered
Is Dungeness too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Is Dungeness close to London?
About 61 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan a pan with them in mind.
How do you work out quantities?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Do you have vegetarian tapas?
Yes. Tortilla, bravas and Manchego are popular vegetarian choices.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Normally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, since the burners are gas. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Is tapas catering available separately?
Yes, tapas work on their own, for receptions, parties and evening food.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Towns and villages near Dungeness
More for events in Dungeness
- 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