Kent · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Sissinghurst, Kent
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Sissinghurst. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Tapas before paella
- Sharing tapas starters
- Engagement drinks
Planning an event in Sissinghurst?
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
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.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Tapas catering for your event in Sissinghurst
Tapas suit drinks receptions, evening parties, office events and weddings in and around Sissinghurst. Whether it is engagement drinks and office parties and launches, we’ll put together a menu of gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas and croquetas.
In a rural spot like Sissinghurst, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, not reheated, and served as soon as it’s ready.
Occasions we cook for in Sissinghurst
Tapas are sociable food.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Cocktail parties
- Engagement parties
- Anniversary parties
- Office parties and launches
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of the Holy Trinity.
What to look for in a quote
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- When final numbers are due
Also near Sissinghurst
What else we do in Sissinghurst
Working with your venue
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
A closer look at the menu
Patatas bravas
A tapas classic and usually vegetarian.
Manchego & membrillo
Manchego with sweet quince.
Space, weather and the venue
If a space is not suitable, we will tell you. What matters most:
- Space for a serving table or station
- Space on each table
- Venue approval for outside catering
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before you book.
Menu ideas
- Croquetas
- Albóndigas
- Padrón peppers
- Tortilla española
- Manchego & membrillo
- Serrano ham
- Olives & bread
- Chorizo in red wine
- Gambas al ajillo
- Patatas bravas
Live paella or other catering?
Nibbles fill a gap. Tapas make a proper course. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why Sissinghurst hosts choose us
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Catering across Kent, including Sissinghurst
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Drinks service on request
Read How we price Or What paella catering costs.
How the day works
Service is quick: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. A summer drinks reception in Sissinghurst has daylight until about 9:15pm at midsummer, ideal for tapas in the garden. By late September it’s dark around 7:00pm, and in December by about 3:50pm.
- Send us the date, venue, numbers and serving style.
- We suggest a selection and confirm a quote.
- On the day, we set up and prepare the hot tapas there.
- Canapés circulate with drinks, or tapas go to the tables.
- We clear away our equipment when service is finished.
Preparing for the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Getting a price
To get a price, use our quote form. Tell us about your event in Sissinghurst, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning help
Diets, allergies and planning
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Ensure dishes are labelled
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Include staff for canapés
Staff keep the canapés coming.
Sangria and bar staff.
Drinks receptions around Sissinghurst
Sissinghurst is about 11 miles south of Maidstone, in Kent. Wherever your event is in the TN17 area, we can cook for your guests. We cook in 922 places across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Sissinghurst to Canterbury (about 26 miles away).
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Sissinghurst, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. Parks such as Crane Valley have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 2 miles of Sissinghurst, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
This part of Kent takes in TN17, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Local streets include The Street, Milkhouse Cottages and Cobnut Close; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Nearby, we also cater events in Wilsley Pound (1 mile west), Cranbrook Common (1 mile north), Wilsley Green (1 mile south-west), Knox Bridge (2 miles north) and Colliers Green (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (11 miles north), Ashford (14 miles east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (13 miles west), Tonbridge (14 miles north-west), Kings Hill (13 miles north-west) and Foley Park (12 miles north).
Nearby you’ll also find Sissinghurst Castle (1.1 miles east) and Benenden Hospital (3.1 miles south-east).
- Nearby, you’ll find The Bull Public House (within half a mile south-east)
FAQs for Sissinghurst
Could we have live paella in Crane Valley?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Which station should guests use for Sissinghurst?
Staplehurst station, about 4.3 miles north of the centre.
Can we add drinks?
Sangria and bar staff can be added.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
When do you arrive?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
How far ahead should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
- 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