Kent · England
Tapas & canapé catering in West Malling, Kent
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella makes the food a highlight of your event in West Malling.
- Launches and office parties
- Evening sharing boards
- Tapas starters
Tapas catering near West Malling
West Malling: your questions answered
Could we have live paella in Manor Park Country Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
We’re having a ceremony at Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
How do you work out quantities?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a sensible margin. Accurate numbers help.
Do you do tapas on their own?
Absolutely.
How much does tapas catering cost in West Malling?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we’ll send a quote.
How long do you need on site?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We will agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll talk it through before the day.
Tapas catering in West Malling, made fresh on the day
Tapas are sharing food, made for conversation. We serve them in two ways: canapés carried round while guests mingle, or table tapas set down to share. Typical bookings include tapas with a paella main course and cocktail parties, with padrón peppers, croquetas and Manchego with membrillo.
For a party in a place like West Malling, a tapas spread is easy and sociable. We serve straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
Working with your venue
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Also near West Malling
Also in West Malling
How we price tapas catering
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Travel, parking and access
- The number of people
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
What we need to know
To check availability and price, we need:
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Expected numbers
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
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.
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.
What happens on the day
Here’s how the day normally runs: we arrive, set up and start cooking, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and we serve straight from the pan when you are ready to eat. A summer drinks reception in West Malling has daylight until about 9:20pm at midsummer, perfect for canapés outdoors. In late September, sunset is about 7:00pm; winter receptions, dark by 3:50pm, are better indoors.
- First, we check availability.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We set up on arrival.
- We serve the spread.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
Ask for a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Planning the cooking area
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Room for a tapas table
- Unloading access
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Serrano ham
- Manchego & membrillo
- Gambas al ajillo
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Padrón peppers
- Patatas bravas
- Olives & bread
- Albóndigas
- Tortilla española
What’s in the pans
Gambas al ajillo
Garlic prawns.
Tortilla española
A thick potato and egg omelette cut into bites.
Planning for every diet
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Let us know if tapas are a starter or the main event
- Include staff for canapés
- Ask guests about diets and allergies
- Ask for labels on each dish
Afterwards, we clear away.
Add a live paella main.
Events we cater in West Malling
They’re easy to eat with a drink in hand.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in West Malling book us for occasions like:
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Tapas and paella menus
- Launches and office parties
- Receptions and drinks parties
Parks such as Manor Park Country Park have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there.
Before booking anyone
- Whether travel is included
- The wet-weather plan
- The deadline for final numbers
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Planning a tapas spread in West Malling
West Malling is about 6 miles west of Maidstone, in Kent. Whether your event is in the middle of West Malling or on the outskirts, tapas catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. West Malling is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. You can also see our page for London, about 26 miles away.
Historic buildings near West Malling often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue. Nearby historic houses include Old Soar Manor (4.2 miles south-west). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed.
Anywhere in ME19, we can bring tapas catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Local streets include High Street, Police Station Road and London Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Being close to the A20, West Malling is simple for us to get to with everything for your event. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Well Street (1 mile south-east), East Malling (1 mile east), Kings Hill (2 miles south), Ditton (2 miles east) and Red Hill (3 miles south-east). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (6 miles east), Sittingbourne (15 miles east), Dartford (13 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (9 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (12 miles south-west) and Gravesend (9 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Coldrum Long Barrow (2.3 miles north-west) and Leybourne Castle (1.1 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Burham Down and Blue Bell Hill.
- Schools near West Malling include The Malling School (1.4 miles east) and The Malling School (1.4 miles east)
- Nearby, you will find Five Pointed Star Public House (less than half a mile east)
- 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