Reading · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Norcot, Reading
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Norcot. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Table tapas as a starter
- Tapas with a paella main course
Live tapas catering in Norcot
Tapas catering in Norcot, cooked live
Receptions, parties, office events and weddings all suit tapas in and around Norcot. We’re frequently asked to cater tapas before paella and engagement celebrations, serving tortilla española, padrón peppers and albóndigas.
In Norcot, tapas work at home or in a local hall. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, not reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
How we price tapas catering
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- The length of service
- Guest numbers
- Parking and unloading
Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Details that help
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Anything your venue supplies
- Diets and allergies you know about
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
Live paella or other catering?
Sandwich buffets are forgettable. Tapas feel special. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why us?
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Events in Norcot and across Reading
Your questions about tapas catering in Norcot
We’re having a ceremony at Tilehurst Methodist Church: can you cater afterwards?
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.
Could we have live paella in Round Copse?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Do you clear up afterwards?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in its own pan.
Can you cater for children?
Yes. Children often love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
How much is live paella catering?
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas for a clear quote.
Also in Norcot
The menu, dish by dish
Patatas bravas
Always popular.
Croquetas
Croquetas disappear fast.
Step by step
Serving is fast: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. When service is finished, we pack down. Evening receptions in Norcot stay light until about 8:55pm in late May and 9:25pm in late June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish hot tapas on site.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We pack down when service ends.
How to prepare
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Get a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will put together a menu and price.
Planning help
For event organisers in Norcot
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Events we cater in Norcot
Big or small, tapas work.
In Norcot and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Birthday drinks
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Engagement parties
- Sharing tapas starters
Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Tilehurst station, about 0.8 miles north.
Questions to ask before booking
- When final numbers are due
- Who provides the crockery
- If the price includes VAT
- How bad weather is handled
Dietary needs and planning tips
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Book staff to carry canapés round
Hot dishes are finished on site.
Serving boards and crockery.
Drinks receptions around Norcot
Norcot is about 2 miles west of Reading, in Reading. For an event in Norcot, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Norcot. We cook in 34 places across Reading.
Nearby historic houses include Mapledurham House (1.8 miles north) and Basildon Park (4.9 miles north-west). Where a historic venue does not allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Tilehurst Methodist Church.
We cover events in every part of the RG30 and RG31 postcode area. Streets in the area include Ash Road, Tay Road and Tyle Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Tilehurst Within (1 mile south-west), Tilehurst (1 mile west), Horncastle (1 mile south), Little Heath (1 mile west) and Fords Farm (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Caversham (3 miles north-east), Shinfield (5 miles south-east), Arborfield Garrison (8 miles south-east), Whitley Wood (4 miles south-east), Sonning Common (4 miles north-east) and Whitley (4 miles south-east). Norcot is one of the larger places we cover in Reading, with lots of choice for events.
Other landmarks nearby include Battle Hospital (1.3 miles east) and Royal Berkshire Regiment Museum (1 mile east). Green spaces nearby include South Lake and Moor Copse Nature Reserve.
- Schools near Norcot include Prospect School (1 mile south) and Battle School (1.3 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include The Butchers Arms (0.6 miles north-west)
DIY paella versus live catering
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. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
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.
- 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