Hampshire · England
Tapas Catering for Smannell events
Looking for tapas catering in Smannell? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Work receptions
- Tapas before paella
- Sharing boards for evening guests
Tapas catering in Smannell
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
Canapés circulate with drinks.
Waiting staff for canapés.
Tapas catering in Smannell, cooked live
We can add sangria and bar staff, for a complete drinks and tapas package. We cook gambas al ajillo, albóndigas and padrón peppers, and typical bookings are for engagement drinks and evening sharing boards.
In a rural spot like Smannell, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, not reheated.
FAQs for Smannell
We’re having a ceremony at Christ 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.
Is Smannell too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Will there be enough food?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
Can you serve drinks?
Yes, sangria. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Tell us your date and numbers for a clear quote.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria and bar staff can be added.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will make a plan B with you.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Towns and villages near Smannell
Other catering in Smannell
Why choose live paella in Smannell?
Plated starters need a kitchen. Table tapas are shared and relaxed. Larger events typically cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Smannell
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Drinks service on request
- Events in Smannell and across Hampshire
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
See How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Planning a tapas spread in Smannell
Smannell is about 2 miles north-east of Andover, in Hampshire. Across the SP11 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. Smannell is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Smannell to Southampton (about 22 miles away).
Historic buildings near Smannell frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Andover station, about 2.5 miles south-west.
Here we cover the SP11 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Whether your event is on Stoke Road and Smannell Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. For events just outside Smannell, we cover Little London (1 mile north), Finkley (1 mile south-east), Enham Alamein (1 mile west), Upper Enham (1 mile north-west) and East Anton (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Basingstoke (15 miles east), Winchester (14 miles south-east), Hyde (13 miles south-east), Tidworth (9 miles west), Weeke (13 miles south-east) and Kempshott (14 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Finkley Down Farm Museum (1.2 miles south) and Andover War Memorial Hospital (2.4 miles south-west). Open spaces near Smannell include Anton Lakes and Mill Lake.
- Local schools include Winton Community Academy (2.1 miles south)
- Local pubs include The Oak pub (less than half a mile south-west)
DIY paella versus live catering
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
What tapas catering costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- How many staff you need
- Whether you need crockery
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Travel, parking and access
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What to tell us
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- Which courses you have in mind
- A photo of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- The date and time of the event
- Expected numbers
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Step by step
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. A summer drinks reception in Smannell has daylight until about 9:25pm at midsummer, ideal for tapas in the garden. In late September, sunset is about 7:10pm; winter receptions, dark by 4:00pm, are better indoors.
- Tell us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We pack down when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
Ask for a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Planning help
Why choose tapas catering in Smannell?
Big or small, tapas work.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Smannell, people book us for events such as:
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Sharing tapas starters
- Birthday drinks
- Drinks reception canapés
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Christ Church.
What to look for in a quote
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Travel and parking costs
- Allergen information for each dish
- A clear list of what’s included
About the dishes
Manchego & membrillo
Spanish sheep’s cheese with quince paste.
Gambas al ajillo
A favourite with seafood lovers.
For event organisers in Smannell
If you are organising for someone else, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
- 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