Kent · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Woodlands, Kent
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Woodlands. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Evening grazing
Book tapas catering in Woodlands
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Tapas catering in Woodlands, cooked live
Sangria and bar staff can be added, for a complete drinks and tapas package. We cook croquetas, Manchego with membrillo and tortilla española, and we are regularly asked to cater tapas with a paella main course and anniversary parties.
For a country party near Woodlands, tapas and sangria set the mood. We serve straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
For planners, venues and organisers
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’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Perfect for your event in Woodlands
They suit standing receptions where a full meal does not fit.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Woodlands, people book us for occasions like:
- Engagement drinks
- Work receptions
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Receptions and drinks parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Kemsing station, about 1.8 miles south.
Comparing caterers
- The venue requirements
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- How late numbers can change
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
Live paella or other catering?
Standard canapés can feel samey. Tapas bring something different. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
Why Woodlands hosts choose us
- A quote that spells everything out
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
What tapas catering costs
There’s nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Distance and access to the venue
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The length of service
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Details that help
These details help us quote quickly:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- What the venue already provides
- Which courses you have in mind
- The date and time of the event
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can send us your details through our quote form.
More for events in Woodlands
Catering for every guest
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Label vegetarian and allergen-free dishes
- Canapés need staff to serve
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
Hot dishes are finished on site.
Add a live paella main.
Planning the cooking area
We’ll be honest if a space won’t work, and help find another spot. The main points are:
- Permission from the venue
- A suitable spot to finish hot tapas
- Space for a serving table or station
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Popular choices
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Patatas bravas
- Padrón peppers
- Olives & bread
- Albóndigas
- Serrano ham
- Manchego & membrillo
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
Planning a tapas spread in Woodlands
Woodlands is about 4 miles north-east of Sevenoaks, in Kent. For tapas catering in Woodlands, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Woodlands. We cook in 922 places across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is London, about 19 miles away.
Parks such as Kemsing Down have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. Historic buildings near Woodlands frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue. Woodlands is within about 3 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
Here we cover the TN15 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Nearby, we also cater events in Cotman's Ash (1 mile south-west), Knatts Valley (1 mile north), Romney Street (1 mile north-west), East Hill (1 mile north) and Heaverham (1 mile south). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (13 miles east), Dartford (8 miles north), Sevenoaks (4 miles south-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (13 miles south), Gravesend (9 miles north-east) and Tonbridge (9 miles south).
Well-known places in the area include Sevenoaks Hospital (3.3 miles south-west) and Kemsing Castle Bank (1.4 miles south-west).
- Nearby, you will find The Rising Sun pub (0.5 miles south-west)
Woodlands: your questions answered
Could we have live paella in Kemsing Down?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of Saint Mary the Virgin?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Where do you cater?
We cover London and the South East, Kent included. Find your area.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria, yes, plus bar staff for your own drinks.
How much paella per person?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Can we have tapas without paella?
Of course. Tapas and canapés can be booked on their own.
Can you cook indoors?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
What happens on the day
We get there well before serving, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Guests usually gather round to watch while it cooks. A summer drinks reception in Woodlands has daylight until about 9:20pm at midsummer, perfect for canapés outdoors. In late September, sunset is about 7:05pm; winter receptions, dark by 3:55pm, are better indoors.
- Tell us the date, venue and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish hot tapas on site.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We pack down when service ends.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Give us a contact for the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
How to get a price
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Related guides
- 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