Kent · England
Festival & event paella in Hawkhurst, Kent
Planning festival paella catering in Hawkhurst? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Agricultural and county shows
- School and charity events
- Open days and community events
Planning an event in Hawkhurst?
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Give traders a single information pack
- Check every diet is covered by the line-up
- Agree waste arrangements with traders
- Provide seating near the food
Allergen information is available at the stall.
A vegan pan alongside the meat and seafood pans.
How our festival paella catering works in Hawkhurst
Paella in a bowl is perfect festival food, standing up or sitting on the grass. For village fêtes and sports club events, we can cook giant-pan paella, vegan paella and seafood paella and more.
Events near Hawkhurst are often volunteer-run, so a trader who brings everything and needs little help is a bonus. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Nearby places to Hawkhurst
Also in Hawkhurst
Perfect for your event in Hawkhurst
It suits outdoor events of all sizes.
Here are some of the events we cook for:
- Food and music festivals
- Open days
- Crew, volunteer and VIP catering
- Seasonal markets
For visitors coming by rail, Etchingham station is about 4 miles away.
What your quote should include
- Allergen information for each dish
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- VAT, if it applies
- Any travel, parking or access charges
Step by step
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. For an evening event in Hawkhurst, sunset is about 8:50pm in late May and 9:15pm in late June; after dark, we need a lit pitch.
- First, we check the dates.
- We agree menu and pitch.
- Burners and pans go up.
- The first pans are ready as visitors arrive.
- We serve, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
Getting a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Read more
What’s in the pans
Giant paella pans
A pan the size of a cartwheel, full of saffron rice.
Vegan paella
Vegan paella cooked separately.
FAQs for Hawkhurst
Can you cook in Collingwood Nature Reserve?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Do you trade at school fairs around Hawkhurst?
Yes, if the school is happy for us to cook on site. Send us the date, pitch and expected numbers.
What happens if it rains?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
What areas do you cover?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
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.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we can plan it carefully.
Can you provide dessert?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
Do you cook inside?
Generally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, because we use gas burners. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Planners, venues and businesses
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Planning the cooking area
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Firm, level ground
- A pitch away from tents and structures
- Your trader pack and site rules
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Giant paella pans
- Vegan paella
- Churros
- Tapas
- Seafood paella
Paella compared with other options
Not every trader covers vegans. A vegan paella pan sits alongside the others. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why us?
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- We cover Hawkhurst and the whole of Kent
- No hidden extras in your quote
Read Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
Running an event in Hawkhurst
Hawkhurst is about 12 miles south-east of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. Across the TN18 area, we will come to your venue or garden. We cater in 922 places in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Hawkhurst to Canterbury (about 29 miles away).
School fairs, for a school like Hawkhurst Church of England Primary School, are a natural fit for a paella stall. If your event is in Collingwood Nature Reserve, the organiser will need the landowner’s permission; we will supply our paperwork. Events in and around the High Weald National Landscape, within about 4 miles of Hawkhurst, frequently have rules about vehicles, ground and waste; we will follow the site’s requirements.
Anywhere in TN18, we can cook for your guests. Streets in the area include High Street, Barretts Road and Norris Close, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Other places close to Hawkhurst for festival paella catering include Beal's Green (1 mile north), Pipsden (1 mile east), The Moor (1 mile south-west), Gill's Green (1 mile north) and Little Conghurst (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (15 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (12 miles north-west), Tonbridge (14 miles north-west), Paddock Wood (10 miles north-west), Tenterden (8 miles east) and Southborough (13 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Ticehurst House Hospital (4.9 miles west).
- Nearby schools include Marlborough House School (0.5 miles west)
- Local pubs include The Queen's Hotel (less than half a mile south-east)
- 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