Kent · England
Festival & event paella in Knockholt, Kent
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Knockholt and the surrounding area.
- School fairs and fundraisers
- Sports clubs and race days
- Food and music festivals
Planning an event in Knockholt?
How our festival paella catering works in Knockholt
Nothing draws a festival crowd like a giant paella. People follow the smell, and portions are served quickly from the pan. On the menu are churros, giant-pan paella and seafood paella, and typical bookings are for feeding crew and volunteers and music and food festivals.
A fête near Knockholt might be on a field with no mains power; tell us what’s available and we will plan around it. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
Events we cater in Knockholt
It feeds crew and volunteers well.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Knockholt book us for occasions like:
- Summer fairs and fêtes
- Community events and open days
- School and charity events
- Agricultural and county shows
Running a fête for a church like St Katharine's Church? A paella pan draws people in.
Questions to ask before you book
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- VAT, if it applies
- Staff numbers and hours
What affects the price in Knockholt
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- How many staff you need
- Parking and unloading
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What we need to know
To check availability and price, we need:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- The courses you’d like
- The venue or postcode
- A picture of the space, if you can
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Space, weather and the venue
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Vehicle access before and after the event
- Room for our cooking and serving area
- Details of power, water and waste arrangements
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Menu ideas
- Churros
- Giant paella pans
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Tapas
- Chicken & chorizo paella
The process
We get there well before serving, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch as the paella takes shape. At midsummer, events in Knockholt stay light until about 9:20pm, which helps evening trading. Winter markets, dark by about 3:55pm, need a well-lit pitch.
- Tell us about the event, the crowd and the pitch.
- We reply with our menu, prices for visitors and requirements.
- We send the documents the event asks for.
- We time the first pans for the lunchtime rush.
- When trading ends, the pitch is cleared and left clean.
Getting ready for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
Getting a price
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Paella compared with other options
Most stalls cook to order. Paella is cooked in big batches and served from the pan, keeping queues short. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What you get with us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Take a look at Our prices page Or Our guide to catering costs.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Ask traders about packaging and waste
- Ask for allergen information at each stall
- Schedule crew meals
- Provide seating near the food
If crew or volunteer meals are booked, they’re served at the agreed times.
Larger pans for peak times.
What’s in the pans
Giant paella pans
Huge pans of golden rice.
Seafood paella
The seafood pan is a festival favourite.
Event catering near Knockholt
Knockholt is about 4 miles north-west of Sevenoaks, in Kent. We cook at events in gardens, halls and venues around Knockholt and the surrounding area. We cover 922 places across Kent. Our events stretch from Knockholt to London (16 miles away).
For visitors coming by rail, Knockholt station is about 2.7 miles away. Within about 4 miles is the Kent Downs National Landscape, where events may have extra rules on vehicles and waste; we work to the site rules.
We cook at events all over TN14. We can cater an event on streets such as Main Road and Blueberry Lane or the roads around them. Other places close to Knockholt for festival paella catering include Knockholt Pound (1 mile north-east), Halstead (2 miles north-east), Sepham Heath (2 miles north-east), Pratt's Bottom (2 miles north) and Twitton (3 miles east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Dartford (11 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (4 miles south-east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles south-east), Gravesend (14 miles north-east), Tonbridge (11 miles south-east) and Northfleet (13 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Orpington Hospital (3.6 miles north) and Otford Heritage Centre (3.9 miles east). The countryside around Knockholt includes Betsom's Hill and Downe Bank.
- Pubs nearby include The Three Horseshoes pub (0.9 miles north-east)
Knockholt: your questions answered
How far is Knockholt from London?
About 16 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Is Knockholt too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Is halal food available?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and we will cook a separate pan.
Will you have a stall at our event?
Tell us about your event, and we will reply with our availability and what we need.
How much does festival paella catering cost in Knockholt?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we’ll send a quote.
Do you have vegan options at events?
Yes. Vegan paella is cooked in its own pan.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Can you do sangria?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Nearby places to Knockholt
What else we do in Knockholt
- 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