Kent · England
Festival & event paella in Groombridge, Kent
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Groombridge. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Festivals
- Crew, volunteer and VIP catering
- Agricultural and county shows
Festival paella catering near Groombridge
FAQs for Groombridge
Which station should guests use for Groombridge?
Eridge station, about 1.8 miles south-east of the centre.
Do you come out to small places like Groombridge?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
How long does the paella take?
We get there in good time to set up. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Can you cook in the rain?
We cook under cover, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We’ll agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Can vegans eat at your stall?
Yes. A vegan paella pan sits alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Children are welcome. Let us know numbers and ages, and we will plan for them.
Festival paella catering for your event in Groombridge
Nothing draws a festival crowd like a huge paella. The sight and smell of it cooking brings people over, and service from the pan is fast. On the menu are giant-pan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella, and typical bookings are for farmers’ and Christmas markets and feeding crew and volunteers.
Rural events near Groombridge can be a long way from food outlets, so a paella stall is a welcome sight. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
For event organisers in Groombridge
If you are organising for someone else, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Organising a club, school or community event in Groombridge? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Who books festival paella catering in Groombridge?
It feeds crew and volunteers well.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Open days and community events
- Music and food festivals
- County and country shows
- Race days and sports events
For visitors coming by rail, Eridge station is about 1.8 miles away.
Before booking anyone
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Travel and parking costs
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Whether VAT is included
Where we can cook in Groombridge
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Clear information on power, water and waste
- Room for our cooking and serving area
- Spacing from tents and other structures
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Tapas
- Giant paella pans
- Churros
Prices and what affects them
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Travel, parking and access
- The paellas you choose
- Whether you need crockery
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
Larger events typically cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Getting an accurate quote
To check availability and price, we need:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Anything your venue supplies
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
How the day works
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. At midsummer, events in Groombridge stay light until about 9:20pm, so evening trading generally finishes in daylight in high summer. Winter markets, dark by about 3:55pm, need a well-lit pitch.
- It starts with your event details and pitch information.
- You get our menu, pitch requirements and paperwork.
- On the day, we arrive and set up our pitch.
- The paella cooks in full view, and we serve from the pan through the event.
- We clear the pitch and leave it clean.
Preparing for the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
How to get a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
Related guides
Groombridge events: pitches and permissions
Groombridge is about 4 miles south-west of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. We cook at events in gardens, halls and venues around Groombridge. We cook in 922 places in Kent. We cook right across the region, from Groombridge to Brighton (24 miles away).
If you’re organising a summer fair or fundraiser for a school such as Groombridge St Thomas' Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Running a fête for a church like Church of St Thomas the Apostle? A paella pan draws people in. Events in and around the High Weald National Landscape, within about 7 miles of Groombridge, frequently have rules about vehicles, ground and waste; we work to the site rules.
We cover events in every part of the TN3 postcode area and the streets around it. We can cater an event on streets such as Station Road, Meadow Road and Orchard Rise or the roads around them. Nearby, we also cater events in Birchden (1 mile south-east), Stone Cross (1 mile north), Ashurst (2 miles north-west), Balls Green (2 miles west) and Fordcombe (2 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Sevenoaks (12 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (4 miles north-east), Tonbridge (7 miles north-east), Kings Hill (15 miles north-east), Paddock Wood (10 miles north-east) and Southborough (4 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Tunbridge Wells Homeopathic Hospital (3.5 miles east) and The Corn Exchange (3.3 miles east). Not far away are Broadwater Warren RSPB Reserve.
Places near Groombridge
More for events in Groombridge
Should I cook it myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
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.
What’s in the pans
Vegan paella
A proper vegan main, in its own pan.
Seafood paella
The seafood pan is a festival favourite.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
For a stall that adds atmosphere, a paella pan delivers. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why book with us
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- A quote that spells everything out
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Read Our prices page And The cost guide.
- 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