Kent · England
Festival & event paella in Hartley, Kent
Planning festival paella catering in Hartley? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Village fêtes
- VIP and hospitality areas
- Sports club events
Live festival paella catering in Hartley
Common questions in Hartley
Is Hartley close to London?
Roughly 39 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Is Hartley too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
Will there be enough food?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Do you do starters?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
Do you have vegan options at events?
Yes. A vegan paella pan sits alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Festival paella catering for your event in Hartley
Few street foods pull a crowd like a huge paella pan. The sight and smell of it cooking brings people over, and portions are served quickly from the pan. We are often asked to cater crew, volunteer and VIP catering and village fêtes and summer fairs, serving vegan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella.
A fête near Hartley might be on a field with no mains power; let us know and we will plan for it. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
Occasions we cook for in Hartley
It suits outdoor events of all sizes.
These are some of the occasions we cater in Hartley and Kent:
- Village fêtes and summer fairs
- Festivals
- Seasonal markets
- Feeding crew and volunteers
Events in parks such as Crane Valley need permission from the council or landowner, and we will send any documents they ask for.
Comparing caterers
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Staff numbers and hours
- What the price includes, item by item
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
Before you choose a spot
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- A pitch big enough for the pans, burners and serving table
- A level pitch on firm ground
- The event’s site rules and timings
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Hartley
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Giant paella pans
- Churros
- Seafood paella
- Tapas
- Vegan paella
Community events around Hartley
Hartley is about 8 miles south-east of Paddock Wood, in Kent. For festival paella catering in Hartley, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cater in all 922 towns and villages across Kent. We cook right across the region, from Hartley to Canterbury (28 miles away).
If you’re organising a summer fair or fundraiser for a school such as High Weald Academy, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Events in and around the High Weald National Landscape, within about 2 miles of Hartley, frequently have rules about vehicles, ground and waste; we work to the site rules.
Wherever your event is in TN17, we can bring festival paella catering to you. From Hartley Road, Campion Crescent and Hartley Court Gardens or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Swattenden (1 mile east), Cranbrook (1 mile north-east), Baker's Cross (2 miles north-east), Gill's Green (2 miles south) and Beal's Green (2 miles south). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (13 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (11 miles west), Tonbridge (13 miles north-west), Kings Hill (14 miles north), Foley Park (14 miles north) and Paddock Wood (8 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Benenden Hospital (4.7 miles east) and Sissinghurst Castle (3.8 miles north-east).
Step by step
Your timings come first. If things run behind, we hold the paella at the right stage so it’s served at its best. Evening events in Hartley have light until about 9:15pm at midsummer; after dark, we need a lit pitch.
- Tell us about the event and pitch.
- We confirm menu, pitch needs and documents.
- We arrive and set up at the agreed time.
- We cook in full view and serve all event.
- We pack down and tidy the pitch.
Before we arrive
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Leave space around the cooking area
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Paella compared with other options
For crew catering, sandwiches are easy but uninspiring. A hot meal keeps crew happy. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why us?
- Drinks service on request
- Fast service from the pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- A quote that spells everything out
Read Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Other catering in Hartley
Planners, venues and businesses
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Catering for every guest
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Agree waste arrangements with traders
- Ask traders about serving speed at peak times
- Plan for vegan and gluten-free visitors
- Send traders one clear trader pack
Crew meals are served at set times.
Catering for crew and VIP areas.
What festival paella catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Guest numbers
- Parking and unloading
- Your choice of paellas
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What we need to know
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Which courses you have in mind
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The date and rough timings
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. To start, fill in 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