Kent · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Kingsdown, 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 Kingsdown.
- Evening sharing boards
- Drinks reception canapés
- Birthday drinks
Tapas catering in Kingsdown
Tapas catering for your event in Kingsdown
Sangria and bar staff can be added, so drinks and nibbles come from one booking. We cook gambas al ajillo, tortilla española and albóndigas, and we are often booked for evening grazing and welcome-drink canapés.
For a country party near Kingsdown, tapas and sangria set the mood. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, never made in advance and reheated.
Events we cater in Kingsdown
They’re the classic starter before paella.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Kingsdown:
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Evening grazing
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Engagement drinks
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Kingsdown, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
Questions to ask before booking
- A clear list of what’s included
- When payment is due
- VAT, if it applies
- The venue requirements
The menu, dish by dish
Croquetas
Croquetas disappear fast.
Tortilla española
Potato omelette cut into bites.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Your questions about tapas catering in Kingsdown
Could we have live paella in Doddington Place Gardens?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Catherine?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you do starters?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we can plan it carefully.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
How much is live paella catering?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we’ll reply with a price.
Can you cook halal paella?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
Will there be enough food?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a little extra built in. Accurate numbers help.
Catering for every guest
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Label seafood clearly
- Make sure dishes are labelled
- Collect dietary needs
- Add sangria or cava
Afterwards, we clear away.
Follow tapas with a live paella.
Working with your venue
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Kingsdown: venues and local tips
Kingsdown is about 3 miles south-east of Sittingbourne, in Kent. For an event in Kingsdown, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Kingsdown. We cover 922 places in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Kingsdown to Canterbury (14 miles away).
Parks such as Doddington Place Gardens have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Teynham station, about 2.9 miles north-east. Kingsdown is within about 6 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, ideal for an outdoor reception.
We cook at events all over the ME9 postcode area and the streets around it. Nearby, we also cater events in Newbury (1 mile north), Erriottwood (1 mile east), Dungate (1 mile west), Bapchild (1 mile north) and Lynsted (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (11 miles west), Ashford (12 miles south), Canterbury (14 miles east), Sittingbourne (3 miles north-west), Whitstable (12 miles east) and Faversham (5 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Sittingbourne Heritage Museum (2.9 miles north) and Newnham Castle (1.8 miles south-east).
Why choose live paella in Kingsdown?
Nibbles fill a gap. Tapas make a proper course. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Kingsdown
- Fast service from the pan
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
Take a look at Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
Nearby places to Kingsdown
What else we do in Kingsdown
What affects the price in Kingsdown
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Distance and access to the venue
- Your choice of paellas
- How many staff you need
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- The date and rough timings
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- The address or venue name
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
How it works
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell normally draws people over. At midsummer, it is light in Kingsdown until about 9:15pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it is dark around 7:00pm, and in December by about 3:50pm.
- We check your date.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
How to get a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
- 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