Kent · England
Festival Paella Catering for Hockenden events
Paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Hockenden: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Open days and community events
- School fairs and fundraisers
- Sports club events
Festival paella catering near Hockenden
Festival paella catering for your event in Hockenden
Organisers can book us as a stall or as caterers for staff, crew, volunteers or VIP areas. On the menu are seafood paella, giant-pan paella and churros, and typical bookings are for county and country shows and feeding crew and volunteers.
A fête near Hockenden might be on a field with no mains power; let us know and we will plan for it. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Space, weather and the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- A pitch away from tents and structures
- The event’s site rules and timings
- Flat, firm ground
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
Popular choices
- Giant paella pans
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Tapas
- Churros
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Hockenden events: pitches and permissions
Hockenden is about 2 miles north-east of Orpington, in Kent. Anywhere in BR8, we will come to your venue or garden. Hockenden is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. You can also see our page for London, about 13 miles away.
If your event is in Foots Cray Meadows, the organiser will need the landowner’s permission; we will supply our paperwork. If you’re organising a summer fair or fundraiser for a school such as Horizon Primary Academy, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Within about 5 miles is the Kent Downs National Landscape, where events may have extra rules on vehicles and waste; we’ll follow the site’s requirements.
We cater events across the BR8 postcode area. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Upper Ruxley (1 mile north-west), Stonehill Green (1 mile north-east), Ruxley (1 mile north-west), Puddledock (2 miles north-east) and Hextable (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Dartford (4 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (8 miles south), Gravesend (10 miles east), Tonbridge (15 miles south), Northfleet (9 miles east) and Kings Hill (14 miles south-east).
A little further out are London Borough of Bromley Museum (2.6 miles south-west) and Eynsford Castle (3.4 miles south-east). Open spaces near Hockenden include The Warren and Summer Hill.
- Schools near Hockenden include Orchards Academy (0.9 miles south-east)
Who books festival paella catering in Hockenden?
Crew love a hot meal on a long day.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Hockenden book us for events such as:
- Agricultural and county shows
- Charity and school events
- Farmers’ and Christmas markets
- Village fêtes and summer fairs
Running a fête for a church like St Mary the Virgin? A paella pan draws people in.
Comparing caterers
- How late numbers can change
- A clear list of what’s included
- The deposit and payment dates
- Space, access and power needs
How we price festival paella catering
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many guests are eating
- How many courses
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Timings and hours
There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What we need to know
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- What the venue already provides
- Where the event is
- The date and time of the event
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, fill in our quote form.
Also near Hockenden
What else we do in Hockenden
Planners, venues and businesses
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Hockenden? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Paella compared with other options
Not every trader covers vegans. A vegan paella pan sits alongside the others. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why choose Love Paella in Hockenden
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Events in Hockenden and across Kent
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
Hockenden questions
Is Hockenden 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.
What’s the nearest station to Hockenden for guests?
Swanley station, about 1 mile south-east of the centre.
How quickly can you serve?
It’s one of the quickest hot foods to serve, ideal for peak times.
Can you feed our volunteers?
Yes. We can cook for crew, volunteers or a hospitality area as well as, or instead of, a public stall.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Can you supply plates?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Do you need water?
Tell us what’s available at the pitch and we’ll confirm what we need.
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
Seafood paella is always popular.
Giant paella pans
A pan the size of a cartwheel, full of saffron rice, cooking in full view.
The process
A typical event goes like this: 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. At midsummer, events in Hockenden stay light until about 9:20pm, which helps evening trading. Winter markets, dark by about 3:55pm, need a well-lit pitch.
- 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
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Getting 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 are ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
- 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