Kent · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Lodge Lees, Kent
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Lodge Lees: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Drinks reception canapés
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Work receptions
Tapas catering for Lodge Lees events
The menu, dish by dish
Manchego & membrillo
A simple, classic pairing.
Patatas bravas
Always popular.
Tapas catering for your event in Lodge Lees
Tapas are made for sharing and talking over. Canapés go round while guests mingle, or table tapas go out to share. For launches and office parties and cocktail parties, we can cook gambas al ajillo, tortilla española and padrón peppers for your guests.
In a rural spot like Lodge Lees, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
Planning for every diet
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Collect dietary needs
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
- Canapés need staff to serve
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
Staff carry canapés round and keep boards topped up.
Churros or crema catalana to finish.
DIY paella versus live catering
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Before you choose a spot
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
- Unloading access
- Space on each table
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
What we offer
- Patatas bravas
- Croquetas
- Albóndigas
- Tortilla española
- Gambas al ajillo
- Olives & bread
- Manchego & membrillo
- Serrano ham
- Chorizo in red wine
- Padrón peppers
What else we do in Lodge Lees
Step by step
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and cook and serve without fuss. Sunset in Lodge Lees is around 9:15pm in June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- We check your date.
- You pick the style.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
How to prepare
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Ask for a quote
To get a price, fill in our quote form. Tell us about your event in Lodge Lees, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning help
Prices and what affects them
Every event is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many courses
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Travel, parking and access
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
There’s 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. Your quote spells it all out.
What we need to know
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Where the event is
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Roughly how many adults and children
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Receptions and parties in Lodge Lees
Lodge Lees is about 7 miles north-west of Dover, in Kent. For tapas catering in Lodge Lees, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. We cover all 922 towns and villages in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Lodge Lees to Canterbury (7 miles away).
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St Mary Magdalene. For guests coming by train, Shepherds Well station is about 3 miles away. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 3 miles of Lodge Lees, ideal for an outdoor reception.
Here we cover the CT4 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Nearby, we also cater events in Denton (1 mile east), Breach (1 mile west), Wootton (1 mile south-east), Shelvin (1 mile east) and Selsted (2 miles south). We also cook in nearby towns such as Ashford (13 miles west), Canterbury (7 miles north-west), Dover (7 miles south-east), Folkestone (7 miles south), Ramsgate (15 miles north-east) and Whitstable (13 miles north-west).
The countryside around Lodge Lees includes Cheriton Hill.
- Local pubs include The Jackdaw Inn (within half a mile south-east)
Events we cater in Lodge Lees
Tapas get people talking, because everyone shares.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Tapas before paella
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Tapas starters
A picnic in Jumping Downs? Check the park’s rules first; a garden or hired venue is frequently easier for catering.
Comparing caterers
- VAT, if it applies
- Travel and parking costs
- When final numbers are due
- What the caterer needs from your venue
Lodge Lees questions
Do you come out to small places like Lodge Lees?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
How far is Lodge Lees from London?
Roughly 58 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Do you do vegan paella?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, where your guests can watch.
Are the tapas served hot?
Hot tapas are finished on site.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
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.
Organising for someone else?
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Hosting a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
- 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