East Sussex · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Upper Dicker, East Sussex
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Upper Dicker: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Engagement parties
- Office parties and launches
- Birthday and anniversary parties
Live tapas catering in Upper Dicker
Where we can cook in Upper Dicker
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- A suitable spot to finish hot tapas
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think.
On the menu in Upper Dicker
- Patatas bravas
- Albóndigas
- Olives & bread
- Padrón peppers
- Croquetas
- Tortilla española
- Serrano ham
- Manchego & membrillo
- Chorizo in red wine
- Gambas al ajillo
Tapas catering in Upper Dicker, cooked live
Canapé tapas suit standing receptions; table tapas suit seated meals. Many events have both. For birthday and anniversary parties and tapas with a paella main course, we will put together a menu of padrón peppers, patatas bravas and tortilla española.
In a rural spot like Upper Dicker, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. Timings are planned around your event, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Area
- Upper Dicker (BN27)
- County
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
How the day works
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Evening receptions in Upper Dicker stay light until about 8:50pm in late May and 9:15pm in late June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish hot tapas on site.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
How to prepare
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Tell us when you want to eat
Get a quote
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we will suggest a menu. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
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 at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Diets, allergies and planning
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Collect dietary needs
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
Each dish is labelled.
Serving boards and crockery.
Is live paella right for your event?
Plated starters need a kitchen. Table tapas are relaxed and sociable. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What you get with us
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Take a look at How we price And The cost guide.
FAQs for Upper Dicker
Do you cater in the South Downs National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Which station should guests use for Upper Dicker?
Berwick (Sussex) station, about 2.5 miles south-west of the centre.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We will make a plan B with you.
Do we need staff for canapés?
Yes, if you want them. Canapés need staff to carry them round.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
Are the tapas served hot?
We finish hot dishes on site; cold ones go out as guests arrive.
Also near Upper Dicker
More for events in Upper Dicker
What’s in the pans
Croquetas
Creamy croquettes with a crisp coat.
Patatas bravas
Fried potatoes with spicy sauce.
Why choose tapas catering in Upper Dicker?
They make a perfect starter before paella.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Engagement drinks
- Launches and office parties
- Tapas and paella menus
- Evening sharing boards
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Berwick (Sussex) station, about 2.5 miles south-west.
Comparing caterers
- Allergen information for each dish
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- VAT, if it applies
- How long the team stays
Drinks receptions around Upper Dicker
Upper Dicker is about 2 miles west of Hailsham, in East Sussex. Tell us where your event in Upper Dicker will be, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. We cater in all 289 towns and villages in East Sussex. We cook right across the region, from Upper Dicker to Brighton (about 15 miles away).
After a ceremony at a church such as Holy Trinity, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. If you are looking at a historic venue around Upper Dicker, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. Upper Dicker is within about 5 miles of the South Downs National Park, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
Tapas catering in BN27 is planned around your venue and timings. Streets in the area include Camberlot Road, Old Forge Close and Coldharbour Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Close by, we cover events in Lower Dicker (1 mile north-east), Tile Hurst (1 mile east), Lower Horsebridge (2 miles north-east), Nash Street (2 miles north) and Upper Horsebridge (2 miles east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Eastbourne (7 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (12 miles east), Seaford (8 miles south-west), Lewes (9 miles west), Crowborough (13 miles north) and St Leonards (15 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Agricultural Museum (3.6 miles south) and Hellingly Hospital Railway (2.8 miles north-east). The countryside around Upper Dicker includes Firle Beacon.
- Schools near Upper Dicker include Park Mead Primary School (within half a mile south) and Hailsham Community College (2.3 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include The Plough Inn (under half a mile south-west)
What affects the price in Upper Dicker
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- The number of people
- How many courses
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
Details that help
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and rough timings
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
- 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