Kent · England
Tapas Catering for Great Stonar events
Planning tapas catering in Great Stonar? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Table tapas as a starter
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Cocktail parties
Live tapas catering in Great Stonar
Your questions about tapas catering in Great Stonar
Can you cook near the sea around Great Stonar?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Mary's Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
How long does the paella take?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Which areas do you serve?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Great Stonar.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
How many different paellas?
Most events have two or three: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We’ll help you decide the split.
What space do you need to cook?
Less than you might think: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a picture if you’re not sure.
When should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so get in touch early.
How our tapas catering works in Great Stonar
A good spread mixes hot and cold: Manchego, Serrano ham and olives alongside patatas bravas, croquetas and gambas al ajillo. Popular choices include croquetas, patatas bravas and tortilla española, and we’re frequently booked for cocktail parties and evening sharing boards.
In a rural spot like Great Stonar, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
Prices and what affects them
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- Your choice of paellas
- Travel, parking and access
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Timings and hours
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
What we need to know
These details help us quote quickly:
- The venue or postcode
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- The date and time of the event
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can send us your details through our quote form.
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Book staff to carry canapés round
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
Afterwards, we clear away.
Add a live paella main.
How it works
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch as the paella takes shape. A summer drinks reception in Great Stonar 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.
- First, we check availability.
- You pick the style.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- We clear away at the end.
Before we arrive
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Getting a price
To get a price, fill in our quote form. Tell us about your event in Great Stonar, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning help
Towns and villages near Great Stonar
More for events in Great Stonar
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Events we cater in Great Stonar
They work for any size of event.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Tapas starters
- Evening grazing
- Office parties and launches
- Engagement drinks
Guests travelling by rail: Sandwich station is about 1.2 miles away.
What your quote should include
- What happens if it rains
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- A clear list of what’s included
- Payment terms and deposit
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Plated starters need a kitchen. Table tapas are shared and relaxed. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Why us?
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- No hidden extras in your quote
Read How we price Or The cost guide.
A closer look at the menu
Gambas al ajillo
Popular with prawn fans.
Manchego & membrillo
Spanish sheep’s cheese with quince paste.
Drinks receptions around Great Stonar
Great Stonar is about 5 miles south-west of Ramsgate, in Kent. For tapas catering in Great Stonar, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. We cook in 922 places in Kent. We cook right across the region, from Great Stonar to Canterbury (about 11 miles away).
If you are looking at a historic venue around Great Stonar, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. After a ceremony at a church such as St Mary's Church, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. With the sea within about 5 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
Wherever your event is in CT13, we can bring tapas catering to you. That could mean an event in a garden on Kitchener Drive, Spitfire Way and Hugin Lane. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Sandwich (1 mile south), Cooper Street (2 miles west), East Street (2 miles west), Marshborough (2 miles south-west) and Woodnesborough (2 miles south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Canterbury (11 miles west), Margate (7 miles north), Dover (10 miles south), Ramsgate (5 miles north-east), Broadstairs (6 miles north-east) and Whitstable (14 miles west).
A little further out are The Precinct Toy Collection (0.8 miles south) and Sandown Castle (4.3 miles south-east). The countryside around Great Stonar includes Monk's Wall nature reserve.
- Local schools include Sir Roger Manwood's School (1.1 miles south)
- Local pubs include Invicta House Ye Olde King's Arms (0.7 miles south)
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Unloading access
- An area to prepare hot tapas
- A spot for our serving station
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Chorizo in red wine
- Manchego & membrillo
- Gambas al ajillo
- Padrón peppers
- Serrano ham
- Croquetas
- Albóndigas
- Patatas bravas
- Olives & bread
- Tortilla española
- 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