Surrey · England
Tapas Catering for Pains-Hill events
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Pains-Hill: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Anniversary parties
- Receptions and drinks parties
Tapas catering for Pains-Hill events
How our tapas catering works in Pains-Hill
Tapas are sharing food, made for conversation. We serve them in two ways: canapés carried round while guests mingle, or table tapas set down to share. For birthday drinks and sharing boards for evening guests, we can cook Serrano ham, patatas bravas and padrón peppers.
Near Pains-Hill, tapas suit gardens, barns and marquees. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Prices and what affects them
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- How many courses
- The length of service
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Waiting and bar staff
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Details that help
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and rough timings
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The address or venue name
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
Questions from Pains-Hill
We’re having a ceremony at St Andrew's: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Is Pains-Hill too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Will there be enough food?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. See how much paella per person.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a photo.
Which areas do you serve?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
What about pudding?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Tell us what you have in mind when you ask for a quote.
Is halal food available?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
Do you serve drinks with tapas?
Sangria, yes, plus bar staff for your own drinks.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A sandwich buffet is easy but forgettable. Tapas feel special. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Why Pains-Hill hosts choose us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- We cover Pains-Hill and the whole of Surrey
Planners, venues and businesses
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Hosting a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Planning a tapas spread in Pains-Hill
Pains-Hill is about 6 miles south-east of Caterham, in Surrey. Across the RH8 area, we can bring the pans to you. We cook in all 395 towns and villages across Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is London, about 18 miles away.
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like St Andrew's. Historic houses near Pains-Hill include Titsey Place (2.1 miles north) and Chartwell (2.5 miles east). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed.
We cook at events all over RH8. Streets in the area include Pastens Road and Pains Hill, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Other places close to Pains-Hill for tapas catering include The Chart (1 mile east), Limpsfield (1 mile north-west), Hurst Green (1 mile west), Oxted (1 mile west) and Moorhouse Bank (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Epsom (14 miles north-west), Horley (10 miles south-west), Redhill (8 miles west), Ewell (14 miles north-west), Reigate (10 miles west) and Caterham (6 miles north-west).
Nearby you’ll also find Tandridge Priory (0.5 miles north) and Haxted Watermill Museum (3.9 miles south). Open spaces near Pains-Hill include Botley Hill and Bay Pond.
- Local schools include Hazelwood School (0.7 miles west) and Oxted School (1.4 miles north-west)
- Nearby, you will find Carpenters Arms (0.7 miles east)
Places near Pains-Hill
Other catering in Pains-Hill
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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.
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.
The menu, dish by dish
Tortilla española
A vegetarian favourite when made carefully.
Patatas bravas
Fried potatoes with spicy sauce.
Before you choose a spot
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Space for a serving table or station
- Access to unload near the serving area
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Menu ideas
- Tortilla española
- Chorizo in red wine
- Gambas al ajillo
- Serrano ham
- Croquetas
- Patatas bravas
- Padrón peppers
- Olives & bread
- Albóndigas
- Manchego & membrillo
What happens on the day
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and get on with cooking and serving. A summer drinks reception in Pains-Hill has daylight until about 9:20pm at midsummer, ideal for tapas in the garden. By late September it’s dark around 7:05pm, and in December by about 3:55pm.
- We check your date.
- You pick the style.
- We set up on arrival.
- We serve the spread.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
Preparing for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Leave space around the cooking area
Get a quote
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Catering for every guest
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Collect dietary needs
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
Afterwards, we clear away.
Waiting staff for canapés.
- 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