Kent · England
Tapas Catering in The Valley
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella for events in The Valley and across Kent.
- Engagement drinks
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Tapas starters
Planning an event in The Valley?
Tapas catering for your event in The Valley
Canapé tapas suit standing receptions; table tapas suit seated meals. Lots of events do both. Whether it is engagement parties and launches and office parties, we’ll put together a menu of patatas bravas, padrón peppers and albóndigas.
Near The Valley, tapas suit gardens, barns and marquees. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Why choose tapas catering in The Valley?
They suit standing receptions where a full meal does not fit.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Anniversary parties
- Engagement parties
- Evening sharing boards
Guests travelling by rail: Charing station is about 3.2 miles away.
Questions to ask before booking
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- VAT, if it applies
- Whether travel is included
- What happens if it rains
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Crisps and nibbles fill a gap. Tapas make a proper course. Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
Why us?
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- We cover The Valley and the whole of Kent
- Sangria and bar staff available
Take a look at Our prices page Or What paella catering costs.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
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.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Receptions and parties in The Valley
The Valley is about 6 miles south-west of Faversham, in Kent. Anywhere in ME13, we can bring the pans to you. We cook in 922 places across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 12 miles away.
Parks such as Spuckles and Kennelling Woods have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. Nearby historic houses include Belmont House and Gardens (2.1 miles north-east). Where a historic venue doesn’t allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 8 miles of The Valley, ideal for an outdoor reception.
This part of Kent takes in ME13. Other places close to The Valley for tapas catering include Stalisfield Green (1 mile south), Stalisfield (1 mile south), Eastling (2 miles north), Throwley Forstal (2 miles east) and Throwley (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (12 miles west), Ashford (8 miles south), Canterbury (12 miles east), Sittingbourne (7 miles north-west), Whitstable (12 miles north-east) and Faversham (6 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Newnham Castle (2.3 miles north).
- Nearby, you will find The Plough Inn (0.8 miles south-west)
For event organisers in The Valley
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Questions from The Valley
Can you cook at venues in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll follow the site rules.
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Lawrence: 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. Send us the reception address.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Can we add drinks?
Yes. Sangria can be added, and bar staff if you are providing the drinks.
Can you bring crockery?
If you need them, yes. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables are available.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is usually popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
When do you arrive?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Also near The Valley
More for events in The Valley
How it works
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. A summer drinks reception in The Valley has daylight until about 9:15pm at midsummer, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it’s dark around 7:00pm, and in December by about 3:50pm.
- 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.
Preparing for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
How to get a price
Thinking about tapas catering for your event in The Valley? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. To contact us, use our quote form.
Related guides
What affects the price in The Valley
These are the factors that matter most:
- How many guests are eating
- Your choice of paellas
- How many staff you need
- Starters, canapés and desserts
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What to tell us
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, fill in our quote form.
About the dishes
Gambas al ajillo
Garlic prawns.
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
Planning for every diet
With a little notice, every diet is easy. We suggest:
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
- Book staff to carry canapés round
- Check diets in advance
Table tapas are set down to share.
Follow tapas with a live paella.
- 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