Kent · England
Tapas Catering in Hemsted
Looking for tapas catering in Hemsted? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Launches and office parties
- Evening sharing boards
- Drinks parties and receptions
Tapas catering near Hemsted
For planners, venues and organisers
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
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.
Tapas catering in Hemsted, cooked live
Receptions, parties, office events and weddings all suit tapas. We’re frequently asked to cater engagement parties and table tapas as a starter, serving gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas and padrón peppers.
For a country party near Hemsted, tapas and sangria set the mood. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Ensure dishes are labelled
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
Hot dishes are finished on site.
Waiting staff for canapés.
Who books tapas catering in Hemsted?
They’re ideal when a full meal does not fit.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Hemsted:
- Tapas starters
- Office parties and launches
- Anniversary parties
- Engagement celebrations
Nearby historic houses include Westenhanger Castle (3.1 miles south) and Acrise Place (3.4 miles east). Where a historic venue doesn’t allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue.
What your quote should include
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Allergen information for each dish
- Staff numbers and hours
- Any travel, parking or access charges
Hemsted questions
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
What about events near the coast?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Can we have tapas without paella?
Of course. Tapas can be booked without paella.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a photo.
Do you supply canapé staff?
Yes, if you want them. Canapés need staff to serve.
Do you cook tapas on site?
Hot tapas are finished on site.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Generally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, because we use gas burners. Some venues have suitable spaces; we’ll check with you and the venue.
What happens on the day
Your timings come first. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we adjust the cooking so it’s still served fresh. Sunset in Hemsted is around 9:15pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- We check your date.
- You pick the style.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
Getting ready for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Ask for a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Tapas can be a starter, a reception or the whole meal, which makes them easy to plan around. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why choose Love Paella in Hemsted
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Events in Hemsted and across Kent
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- A clear, itemised quote
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Receptions and parties in Hemsted
Hemsted is about 5 miles north of Hythe, in Kent. For tapas catering in Hemsted, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. Hemsted is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 10 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Westenhanger station, about 2.9 miles south. Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St Mary. Hemsted is within about 3 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors. With the sea within about 5 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
Anywhere in CT18, we can cook for your guests. Other places close to Hemsted for tapas catering include Woodland (1 mile south-east), Skeete (1 mile south), Stowting (1 mile west), Rhodes Minnis (1 mile north-east) and Stowting Common (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Ashford (8 miles west), Canterbury (10 miles north), Dover (11 miles east), Folkestone (6 miles south-east), Whitstable (15 miles north) and Faversham (14 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Saltwood Castle (4 miles south) and Elham Valley Countryside Centre And Railway Museum (3.7 miles south-east). The countryside around Hemsted includes Hatch Park and Tolsford Hill.
Also near Hemsted
Other catering in Hemsted
Prices and what affects them
There’s nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Getting an accurate quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- The date and time of the event
- What the venue already provides
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A photo of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
A closer look at the menu
Manchego & membrillo
Manchego with sweet quince.
Patatas bravas
Always popular and typically vegetarian.
- 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