Kent · England
Tapas Catering for Marden Thorn events
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Marden Thorn. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Tapas starters
- Evening sharing boards
- Birthday drinks
Tapas catering in Marden Thorn
Tapas catering in Marden Thorn, cooked live
We finish hot tapas on site, so they arrive hot. For drinks reception canapés and launches and office parties, we can cook Manchego with membrillo, padrón peppers and croquetas and more.
Near Marden Thorn, tapas suit gardens, barns and marquees. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
Is live paella right for your event?
A sandwich buffet is easy but forgettable. Tapas feel like a treat. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why Marden Thorn hosts choose us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Catering across Kent, including Marden Thorn
Read Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Marden Thorn: your questions answered
How far is Marden Thorn from London?
About 35 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Do you cater in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will follow the site rules.
How long do you need on site?
We get there in good time to set up. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Do you cook inside?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, because we use gas burners. Some venues have suitable spaces; we will check with you and the venue.
Are your tapas vegetarian-friendly?
Many tapas are naturally vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers. We label each dish.
How much paella per person?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
How much is live paella catering?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we’ll send a quote.
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
- Include staff for canapés
- Ask guests about diets and allergies
Staff keep the canapés coming.
Bar staff and sangria.
Space, weather and the venue
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
- Permission from the venue
- Space for a serving table or station
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Croquetas
- Serrano ham
- Albóndigas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Chorizo in red wine
- Padrón peppers
- Olives & bread
- Patatas bravas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
Places near Marden Thorn
More for events in Marden Thorn
For planners, venues and organisers
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
How it works
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch as the paella takes shape. Evening receptions in Marden Thorn stay light until about 8:50pm in late May and 9:15pm in late June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- We check your date.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We set up on arrival.
- Hot and cold tapas are served.
- We clear away at the end.
How to prepare
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Share the running order, including any speeches
How to get a price
Send us the date, your venue or TN12 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just use our quote form.
Planning help
Perfect for your event in Marden Thorn
They suit standing receptions where a full meal does not fit.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Tapas before paella
- Cocktail parties
- Sharing tapas starters
- Welcome-drink canapés
Guests travelling by rail: Marden station is about 1.4 miles away.
What to look for in a quote
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- When payment is due
- The venue requirements
- The wet-weather plan
Drinks receptions around Marden Thorn
Marden Thorn is about 7 miles south of Maidstone, in Kent. Events in Marden Thorn are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cater in 922 places across Kent. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 26 miles away.
Historic buildings near Marden Thorn frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Marden Thorn, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
We cook at events all over the TN12 postcode area and the streets around it. Local streets include Pagehurst Road and Thorn Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. If your venue is just outside Marden Thorn, we also cover Wanshurst Green (1 mile north), Staplehurst (2 miles east), St Ann's Green (2 miles north), Milebush (2 miles north) and Horden (2 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (7 miles north), Ashford (15 miles east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (11 miles west), Tonbridge (11 miles west), Kings Hill (9 miles north-west) and Foley Park (8 miles north).
Nearby you’ll also find South East Romany Museum (0.9 miles north) and Sissinghurst Castle (4.2 miles south-east).
Dishes our guests love
Gambas al ajillo
Prawns sizzled in garlic and olive oil.
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
Should I cook it myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. 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 enjoy the party, let us cook.
- 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