Kent · England
Festival Paella Catering for Hartlip events
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Hartlip. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Charity and school events
- Open days and community events
- Seasonal markets
Live festival paella catering in Hartlip
Festival paella catering in Hartlip, made fresh on the day
Nothing draws a festival crowd like a huge paella. The sight and smell of it cooking brings people over, and portions are served quickly from the pan. Typical bookings include feeding crew and volunteers and agricultural and county shows, serving giant-pan paella, churros and chicken and chorizo paella.
Rural events near Hartlip can be a long way from food outlets, so a hot-food stall is a big help. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, not reheated.
Hartlip events: pitches and permissions
Hartlip is about 3 miles south-east of Gillingham, in Kent. Tell us where your event in Hartlip will be, and we’ll plan access and set-up. Hartlip is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 20 miles away.
If your event is in Foxburrow Wood, the organiser will need the landowner’s permission; we’ll supply our paperwork. School fairs, for a school like Hartlip Endowed Church of England Primary School, are a natural fit for a paella stall. Within about 6 miles is the Kent Downs National Landscape, where events may have extra rules on vehicles and waste; we work to the site rules.
We cater events across the ME9 postcode area. Streets in the area include The Street, Dane Close and Place Lane, and we can cook for an event on any of them. For events just outside Hartlip, we cover Lower Hartlip (1 mile east), Moor Street (1 mile north-west), Breach (1 mile north-east), Meresborough (1 mile west) and Newington (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (7 miles south-west), Sittingbourne (4 miles east), Gravesend (13 miles north-west), Faversham (11 miles east), Northfleet (14 miles north-west) and Minster (9 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Bayford Court (4.5 miles east) and Medway Maritime Hospital (4.8 miles north-west). Not far away are Detling Hill and Bishop Saltings.
- Schools near Hartlip include Leigh Academy Rainham (1.3 miles north-west)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
The process
Here’s how the day generally runs: we arrive, set up and start cooking, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and we serve straight from the pan at the agreed time. Evening events in Hartlip have light until about 9:15pm at midsummer; after that, the pitch needs good lighting.
- You send us the event, dates and pitch details.
- We confirm our menu, pitch needs and documents.
- We set up at the agreed time.
- The paella cooks in full view, and we serve from the pan through the event.
- We pack down and leave the pitch tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Getting a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, send us your details through our quote form.
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What festival paella catering costs
There is nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Whether you need crockery
- The length of service
- Guest numbers
- How many courses
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Details that help
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- Which courses you have in mind
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- The address or venue name
- What the venue already provides
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
What’s in the pans
Vegan paella
Vegans get a hot, filling dish.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid.
For event organisers in Hartlip
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Catering for every guest
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Put picnic tables near the traders
- Book crew catering in advance
- Give traders a single information pack
- Plan for vegan and gluten-free visitors
Allergen information is available at the stall.
Catering for crew and VIP areas.
FAQs for Hartlip
Could we have live paella in Foxburrow Wood?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Do you come out to small places like Hartlip?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, on request. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it’s cooked separately.
Can you cater for crew and volunteers?
Yes. We can cook for crew, volunteers or a hospitality area as well as, or instead of, a public stall.
Can you handle a lunchtime rush?
Service from the pan is fast, ideal for peak times.
Can you provide dessert?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Is there a vegan option?
Absolutely. Vegan paella is cooked in its own pan.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will talk it through before the day.
Places near Hartlip
Other catering in Hartlip
Planning the cooking area
We’ll be honest if a space won’t work, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- A pitch away from tents and structures
- A pitch big enough for the pans, burners and serving table
- The event’s site rules and timings
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Hartlip
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Churros
- Tapas
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Giant paella pans
Paella compared with other options
Food that sits in a hot cabinet isn’t much to look at. A huge pan cooking in view sells itself. Larger events typically cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why Hartlip hosts choose us
- A quote that spells everything out
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Fast service from the pan
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
See Our pricing Or 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