Buckinghamshire · England
Tapas Catering in Great Hampden
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Great Hampden: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Drinks reception canapés
- Tapas and paella menus
Planning an event in Great Hampden?
The menu, dish by dish
Croquetas
Crisp outside, creamy inside.
Patatas bravas
Crisp potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce, often with alioli.
How our tapas catering works in Great Hampden
We can add sangria and bar staff, so drinks and nibbles come from one booking. Whether it’s engagement drinks and welcome-drink canapés, we will put together a menu of croquetas, tortilla española and Manchego with membrillo and more.
Near Great Hampden, tapas and sangria suit a garden or field party. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- Great Hampden (HP16)
- Area hub
- Buckinghamshire
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
The process
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so the timing is planned around your event. Evening receptions in Great Hampden stay light until about 8:55pm in late May and 9:25pm in late June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- 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 pack down when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
How to get a price
Planning tapas catering in Great Hampden? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. Just use our quote form.
Read more
Planning for every diet
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
Canapés go round with the drinks.
Serving boards and crockery.
Drinks receptions around Great Hampden
Great Hampden is about 5 miles north of High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire. For tapas catering in Great Hampden, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Great Hampden is one of 263 towns and villages in Buckinghamshire we cover. You can also see our page for Oxford, about 20 miles away.
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Great Hampden, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. Historic houses near Great Hampden include Hughenden Manor (3.8 miles south) and West Wycombe Park House (4.6 miles south). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed. The Chilterns National Landscape is within about 3 miles of Great Hampden, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
We cook at events all over the HP16 postcode area and the streets around it. From School Lane and Memorial Road or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. If your venue is just outside Great Hampden, we also cover Great Missenden (3 miles east), Wendover Dean (3 miles north-east), Coombe (3 miles north), Hunt's Green (3 miles north-east) and Kingsash (4 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Aylesbury (8 miles north), High Wycombe (5 miles south), Chesham (7 miles east), Marlow (9 miles south), Amersham (7 miles east) and Beaconsfield (8 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre (2.8 miles east) and Chiltern Hospital (3.4 miles east). Open spaces near Great Hampden include Prestwood Local Nature Reserve and Beacon Hill.
- Pubs nearby include The Hampden Arms (less than half a mile west)
Planning the cooking area
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Access to unload near the serving area
- Venue approval for outside catering
- Space on each table
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we offer
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Albóndigas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Padrón peppers
- Chorizo in red wine
- Croquetas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Olives & bread
- Patatas bravas
For planners, venues and organisers
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Organising a club, school or community event in Great Hampden? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Towns and villages near Great Hampden
More for events in Great Hampden
Paella compared with other options
Tapas can be a starter, a reception or the whole meal, so they fit most plans. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why Great Hampden hosts choose us
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- We cover Great Hampden and the whole of Buckinghamshire
Should I cook it myself?
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 be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
FAQs for Great Hampden
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary Magdalene?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Do you cater in the Chilterns National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
How do you work out quantities?
It depends on whether they’re a starter, canapés or the whole meal. Tell us about the event and we will suggest quantities.
Do you come to Great Hampden?
We do. Great Hampden is one of the places we cover. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
How much is live paella catering?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, on request. Proper crockery or quality disposables can be added to your booking.
Can you cater for children?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is typically popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
Events we cater in Great Hampden
They’re ideal when a full meal doesn’t fit.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Launches and office parties
- Drinks reception canapés
- Birthday and anniversary parties
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St Mary Magdalene.
Before booking anyone
- How bad weather is handled
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- When payment is due
- VAT, if it applies
- 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