Surrey · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Pixham, Surrey
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella turns food into part of your event in Pixham.
- Launches and office parties
- Sharing tapas starters
- Engagement drinks
Live tapas catering in Pixham
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Let us know if tapas are a starter or the main event
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
- Collect dietary needs
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
Afterwards, we clear away.
Staff to serve canapés.
Tapas catering for your event in Pixham
A good spread mixes hot and cold: cold cheese and ham with hot bravas, croquetas and garlic prawns. On the menu are tortilla española, Manchego with membrillo and Serrano ham, and we’re frequently booked for birthday and anniversary parties and canapés with welcome drinks.
Near Pixham, tapas and sangria suit a garden or field party. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it’s hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
What happens on the day
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. At midsummer, it’s light in Pixham until about 9:20pm, ideal for tapas in the garden. By late September it is dark around 7:05pm, and in December by about 3:55pm.
- Tell us the date, venue and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Getting a price
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Related guides
Pixham: venues and local tips
Pixham is about 1 mile north-east of Dorking, in Surrey. Tell us where your event in Pixham will be, and we’ll plan access and set-up. We cover 395 places in Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Pixham to Guildford (about 11 miles away).
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Pixham Church. If you’re looking at a historic venue around Pixham, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 2 miles of Pixham, ideal for an outdoor reception.
Here we cover the RH4 and RH5 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Streets in the area include London Road, Leslie Road and Pixham Lane, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Close by, we cover events in Dorking (1 mile south-west), Westhumble (1 mile north-west), Ranmore Common (2 miles west), North Holmwood (2 miles south) and Mickleham (2 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Guildford (11 miles west), Woking (12 miles north-west), Epsom (7 miles north), Horley (8 miles south-east), Redhill (7 miles east) and Ewell (8 miles north).
Nearby you will also find Headley Court (4 miles north-east) and Betchworth Castle (1 mile east). The countryside around Pixham includes Reigate Heath and Box Hill.
- Nearby schools include St Martin's CofE Controlled Primary School (0.9 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include The Lincoln Arms Hotel (under half a mile west)
- Other local spots include Pippbrook House (less than half a mile south-west)
Also near Pixham
More for events in Pixham
Prices and what affects them
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- Whether you need crockery
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- How many staff you need
- How many guests are eating
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What to tell us
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Anything your venue supplies
- A picture of where we’d cook
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you are ready, fill in our quote form.
For planners, venues and organisers
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
If you’re organising for someone else, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
The menu, dish by dish
Gambas al ajillo
Popular with prawn fans.
Croquetas
Always among the first to go.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Plated starters need a kitchen. Table tapas are relaxed and sociable. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What you get with us
- Catering across Surrey, including Pixham
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Real theatre, not just catering
- A quote that spells everything out
Take a look at Our pricing And The cost guide.
Where we can cook in Pixham
Every venue is different, so we ask about the space when you contact us. In general, we need:
- An area to prepare hot tapas
- Space on each table
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Albóndigas
- Padrón peppers
- Chorizo in red wine
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
- Serrano ham
- Olives & bread
- Croquetas
- Patatas bravas
- Manchego & membrillo
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Pixham questions
We are having a ceremony at Pixham Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is Pixham too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Will there be enough food?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Can we have tapas without paella?
Absolutely.
Is halal food available?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
What does tapas catering cost?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we’ll reply with a price.
Do you cook inside?
Generally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, because we use gas burners. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
- 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