Kent · England
Festival & event paella in Cotman's Ash, Kent
Paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Cotman's Ash: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Open days and community events
- Village fêtes
- School and charity events
Planning an event in Cotman's Ash?
About our festival paella catering in Cotman's Ash
We can trade as a stall or cook for crew, volunteers and VIP areas. Whether it is sports clubs and race days and VIP and hospitality areas, we’ll put together a menu of churros, vegan paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
At a field event near Cotman's Ash, power and water may be limited; tell us what’s available and we will plan around it. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
Planners, venues and businesses
Organising a club, school or community event in Cotman's Ash? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
How the day works
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so the timing is planned around your event. At midsummer, events in Cotman's Ash stay light until about 9:20pm, which helps evening trading. Winter markets, dark by about 3:55pm, need a well-lit pitch.
- It starts with your event details and pitch information.
- We confirm our menu, pitch needs and documents.
- We arrive at the agreed time to set up the pitch.
- We cook in front of the crowd and serve from the pan all event.
- We pack down and leave the pitch tidy.
How to prepare
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Ask for a quote
Thinking about festival paella catering for your event in Cotman's Ash? Send us the details and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just fill in our quote form.
Read more
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
For a stall that adds atmosphere, a paella pan delivers. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why Cotman's Ash hosts choose us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Catering across Kent, including Cotman's Ash
Read Our prices page Or The cost guide.
Running an event in Cotman's Ash
Cotman's Ash is about 3 miles north-east of Sevenoaks, in Kent. Anywhere in TN15, we can cook for your guests. We cover 922 places in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for London, about 19 miles away.
Events in parks such as Kemsing Down need permission from the council or landowner, and we’ll send any documents they ask for. School fairs, for a school like Kemsing Primary School, are a natural fit for a paella stall. Events in and around the Kent Downs National Landscape, within about 3 miles of Cotman's Ash, often have rules about vehicles, ground and waste; we work to the site rules.
We cook at events all over TN15. Close by, we cover events in Woodlands (1 mile north-east), Heaverham (1 mile south-east), Knatts Valley (1 mile north), Romney Street (1 mile north-west) and Kemsing (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (13 miles east), Dartford (9 miles north), Sevenoaks (3 miles south-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (13 miles south), Gravesend (10 miles north-east) and Tonbridge (8 miles south).
Other landmarks nearby include Kemsing Castle Bank (0.9 miles south-west) and Sevenoaks Hospital (2.8 miles south-west). The countryside around Cotman's Ash includes Dryhill Nature Reserve.
- Local pubs include The Rising Sun pub (within half a mile north-west)
Space, weather and the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Clearance from tents and gazebos
- A level pitch on firm ground
- Pitch space for cooking and serving
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Tapas
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Giant paella pans
- Seafood paella
- Churros
Cotman's Ash questions
How far is Cotman's Ash from London?
About 19 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
What’s the nearest station to Cotman's Ash for guests?
The closest is Kemsing station, roughly 1.4 miles away.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
Do you do starters?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
What space do you need to cook?
Less than you might think: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. Send us a picture if you’re not sure.
Will you have a stall at our event?
Send us the details, and we will reply with our availability and what we need.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Do you do crew catering?
Yes. We can cook for crew, volunteers or a hospitality area as well as, or instead of, a public stall.
Places near Cotman's Ash
More for events in Cotman's Ash
Perfect for your event in Cotman's Ash
Crew love a hot meal.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- County and country shows
- Open days and community events
- Music and food festivals
- Charity and school events
Running a fête for a church like Church of Saint Mary the Virgin? A paella pan draws people in.
Questions to ask before booking
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- The deposit and payment dates
- Whether travel is included
- Staff numbers and hours
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid for fish lovers.
Giant paella pans
A pan the size of a cartwheel, full of saffron rice.
What affects the price in Cotman's Ash
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Whether you need crockery
- How many guests are eating
- Your choice of paellas
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
What to tell us
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Diets and allergies you know about
- What the venue already provides
- The date and rough timings
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, use our quote form.
- 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