Kent · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Harbourland, Kent
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella makes the food a highlight of your event in Harbourland.
- Drinks reception canapés
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Work receptions
Tapas catering near Harbourland
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Tapas catering in Harbourland, cooked live
Many classic tapas are naturally vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers, and several can be made gluten-free. On the menu are patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo and Manchego with membrillo, and we are frequently booked for sharing tapas starters and engagement celebrations.
Near Harbourland, tapas and sangria suit a garden or field party. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, not reheated.
Live paella or other catering?
Generic canapés all look the same. Tapas bring something different. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Why book with us
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- A quote that spells everything out
- Catering across Kent, including Harbourland
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
See Our prices page And The cost guide.
For planners, venues and organisers
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Harbourland? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Events in public spaces, like parks, generally need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Also near Harbourland
What else we do in Harbourland
The process
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. A summer drinks reception in Harbourland 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 choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We set up on arrival.
- We serve the spread.
- We clear away at the end.
Before we arrive
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Give us a contact for the day
How to get a price
Planning tapas catering in Harbourland? Send us the details and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Prices and what affects them
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Distance and access to the venue
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- How many guests are eating
- The paellas you choose
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What to tell us
To speed things up, tell us:
- The date and time of the event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Where the event is
- A picture of where we’d cook
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Drinks receptions around Harbourland
Harbourland is about 2 miles north of Maidstone, in Kent. Anywhere in ME14, we can cook for your guests. Harbourland is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 23 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Stoneacre (3.3 miles south-east) and Leeds Castle (5 miles south-east). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed. Guests travelling by rail: Maidstone East station is about 1.3 miles away. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Harbourland, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
This part of Kent takes in ME14, so your event can be anywhere in it. We also cook at events in Penenden Heath (1 mile south), Foley Park (1 mile south), Grove Green (1 mile south-east), Ringlestone (1 mile west) and Sandling (1 mile west). Further out, we also cater in Sittingbourne (9 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (15 miles west), Gravesend (12 miles north-west), Tonbridge (13 miles south-west), Faversham (15 miles east) and Northfleet (13 miles north-west).
A little further out are KIMS hospital (0.9 miles south-east) and Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum (1.4 miles south-west). Open spaces near Harbourland include Burham Down and Boxley Hills.
- Nearby schools include Valley Park School (1.2 miles south)
- Nearby, you’ll find The King's Arms (0.7 miles north)
Occasions we cook for in Harbourland
They suit standing receptions where a full meal does not fit.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Harbourland:
- Cocktail parties
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Evening grazing
After a ceremony at a church such as St Paul's Church, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos.
What to look for in a quote
- The deadline for final numbers
- If the price includes VAT
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Space, access and power needs
What we need at the venue
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Space to finish hot dishes
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Parking near the venue
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Menu ideas
- Tortilla española
- Padrón peppers
- Albóndigas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Chorizo in red wine
- Serrano ham
- Croquetas
- Olives & bread
- Patatas bravas
- Gambas al ajillo
Diets, allergies and planning
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Check diets in advance
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
Hot dishes are finished on site.
Crockery and serving dishes.
FAQs for Harbourland
Can you cook in Vinters Valley Park?
Only if the landowner, usually the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
Is Harbourland close to London?
About 31 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Can you cook in the rain?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll talk it through before the day.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
Do you serve drinks with tapas?
We can add sangria and bar staff.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, including Kent. See all areas.
- 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