Kent · England
Tapas Catering for Tonge events
Love Paella cooks Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Tonge and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Birthday drinks
- Launches and office parties
- Welcome-drink canapés
Tapas catering near Tonge
How our tapas catering works in Tonge
Tapas are made for sharing and talking over. Canapés go round while guests mingle, or table tapas go out to share. On the menu are gambas al ajillo, Serrano ham and albóndigas, and we’re frequently booked for canapés with welcome drinks and engagement drinks.
Near Tonge, tapas suit gardens, barns and marquees. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
Diets, allergies and planning
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Label vegetarian and allergen-free dishes
- Check diets in advance
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
Hot tapas are finished on site and served straight away.
Serving boards and crockery.
Your questions about tapas catering in Tonge
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Giles: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is Tonge close to London?
Roughly 39 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you supply canapé staff?
We can provide staff. Canapés need staff to serve.
Which areas do you serve?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Tonge.
Is the paella gluten-free?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
If you need them, yes. Proper crockery or quality disposables can be added to your booking.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Can you cook in the rain?
Rain doesn’t stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
What’s in the pans
Patatas bravas
A tapas classic.
Tortilla española
A thick potato and egg omelette served in wedges or squares.
Nearby places to Tonge
What else we do in Tonge
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
What tapas catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Waiting and bar staff
- How many guests are eating
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We will send you a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- What the venue already provides
- Roughly how many adults and children
- A picture of where we’d cook
Send us the date, your venue or ME9 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
How the day works
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, and we agree where that is before the day. At midsummer, it is light in Tonge until about 9:15pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. In late September, sunset is about 7:00pm; winter receptions, dark by 3:50pm, are better indoors.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and how you want the tapas served.
- We put together a tapas selection and 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 pack down when service ends.
How to prepare
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Ask for a quote
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote.
Planning help
Space, weather and the venue
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Unloading access
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- An area to prepare hot tapas
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
What we offer
- Chorizo in red wine
- Padrón peppers
- Albóndigas
- Olives & bread
- Serrano ham
- Patatas bravas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Croquetas
- Tortilla española
- Gambas al ajillo
Working with your venue
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Planning a tapas spread in Tonge
Tonge is about 2 miles east of Sittingbourne, in Kent. We bring tapas catering to gardens, halls and venues around Tonge and the surrounding area. We cater in 922 places across Kent. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 14 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Teynham station, about 1.7 miles south-east. Parks such as Milton Creek Country Park have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there.
Tapas catering in ME9 is planned around your venue and your guests. For events just outside Tonge, we cover Tonge Corner (1 mile south), Milton Regis (1 mile west), Murston (1 mile south-west), Radfield (1 mile south) and Kemsley (2 miles west). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (12 miles south-west), Ashford (15 miles south), Canterbury (14 miles east), Whitstable (11 miles east), Faversham (5 miles south-east) and Herne Bay (15 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Sittingbourne and Milton Urban District (2.1 miles west) and Castle Rough (1.3 miles north-west).
Why choose live paella in Tonge?
Generic canapés all look the same. Tapas bring something different. Larger events normally cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why us?
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- A clear, itemised quote
See How we price And What paella catering costs.
- 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