West Sussex · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Lumley, West Sussex
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Lumley and the surrounding area.
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Evening grazing
Tapas catering near Lumley
About our tapas catering in Lumley
Tapas and paella go hand in hand, as a starter while the rice cooks, but they’re great on their own. Whether it’s drinks parties and receptions and engagement drinks, we can cook padrón peppers, croquetas and albóndigas and more.
In a rural spot like Lumley, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. We serve straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and service is quick once it’s ready.
- Location
- Lumley (PO10)
- County
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
What affects the price in Lumley
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- Timings and hours
- How many guests are eating
- Your choice of paellas
- Parking and unloading
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We’ll send you a quote.
Details that help
To check availability and price, we need:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- The courses you’d like
- Where the event is
- The date and time of the event
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Catering for every guest
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Include staff for canapés
- Label seafood clearly
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
Dishes are labelled for diets and allergens.
Serving boards and crockery.
Before you choose a spot
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Parking near the venue
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we offer
- Padrón peppers
- Chorizo in red wine
- Manchego & membrillo
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Patatas bravas
- Albóndigas
- Croquetas
- Olives & bread
- Gambas al ajillo
Places near Lumley
What else we do in Lumley
Lumley questions
What’s the nearest station to Lumley for guests?
Lumley has its own station: Emsworth station.
We are having a ceremony at Church of St James: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
What do you need at the venue?
Less than you might think: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. Send us a photo if you are not sure.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Can we add drinks?
We can add sangria and bar staff.
Do you provide serving staff?
Canapés work best with staff serving, and we can provide them.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Receptions and parties in Lumley
Lumley is about 1 mile east of Emsworth, in West Sussex. For tapas catering in Lumley, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Lumley. Lumley is one of 371 towns and villages in West Sussex we cover. Our events stretch from Lumley to Southampton (about 21 miles away).
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St James. For guests coming by train, Lumley has its own station, Emsworth station. The coast is within about 6 miles, so garlic prawns are popular.
Tapas catering in PO10 is planned around your venue and your guests. Streets in the area include Lumley Road and Northlands Park, and we can cook for an event on any of them. If your venue is just outside Lumley, we also cover Emsworth (1 mile west), Westbourne (1 mile north), Southbourne (1 mile east), Woodmancote (1 mile north-east) and Denvilles (1 mile west). Further out, we also cater in Bognor Regis (12 miles east), Chichester (7 miles east), Selsey (10 miles south-east), Portfield (7 miles east), Yapton (14 miles east) and East Wittering (7 miles south-east).
A little further out are Warblington Castle (1.6 miles west) and Emsworth Museum (less than half a mile south-west). The countryside around Lumley includes Stoke Down and Brook Meadow (Emsworth).
- Schools near Lumley include Bourne Community College (0.8 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include Lord Raglan P.H. Pub (less than half a mile south)
Why choose tapas catering in Lumley?
They work for any size of event.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Table tapas as a starter
- Office parties and launches
- Drinks reception canapés
- Anniversary parties
Nearby historic houses include Warblington Castle (1.6 miles west). Where a historic venue does not allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue.
Before you book anyone
- When final numbers are due
- Who provides the crockery
- How each diet is kept separate
- If the price includes VAT
For planners, venues and organisers
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Lumley? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Why choose live paella in Lumley?
Tapas can be a starter, a reception or the whole meal, which makes them easy to plan around. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why choose Love Paella in Lumley
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Served hot, straight from the pan
Read How we price Or The cost guide.
The process
Service is quick: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. Sunset in Lumley is around 9:20pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- You tell us the date, venue, numbers and how you’d like the tapas served.
- We put together a tapas selection and a quote.
- We arrive, set up and finish hot dishes on site.
- We serve canapés with drinks or set table tapas down to share.
- We pack down when service ends.
How to prepare
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
How to get a price
Send us the date, your venue or PO10 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
- 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