Medway · England
Festival Paella Catering in Rochester
Looking for festival paella catering in Rochester? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Open days
- Sports clubs and race days
- Feeding crew and volunteers
Live festival paella catering in Rochester
What happens on the day
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so the timing is planned around your event. Evening events in Rochester have light until about 9:20pm at midsummer; after that, the pitch needs good lighting.
- Send us your event details and pitch information.
- We confirm menu, pitch needs and documents.
- We arrive and set up at the agreed time.
- We cook and serve throughout.
- We pack down and tidy the pitch.
Getting ready for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
How to get a price
Planning festival paella catering in Rochester? Send us the details and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, use our quote form.
Related guides
Festival paella catering in Rochester, made fresh on the day
Because paella is cooked in big batches, it handles lunchtime rushes well. Portions are served in seconds. For agricultural and county shows and village fêtes and summer fairs, we can cook chicken and chorizo paella, vegan paella and churros.
A town like Rochester has schools, churches, clubs and parks that run events through the year. Paella suits any of them. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
Catering for every guest
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Ask for allergen information at each stall
- Plan for vegan and gluten-free visitors
- Agree waste arrangements with traders
- Ask traders about serving speed at peak times
We set up at the agreed time, following your trader pack.
Vegan paella alongside the rest.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Hot-cabinet food lacks theatre. A giant pan cooking in view sells itself. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why book with us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- No hidden extras in your quote
Space, weather and the venue
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Clearance from tents and gazebos
- Vehicle access to the pitch at set-up and break-down
- Your arrangements for power, water and waste
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Menu ideas
- Churros
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Giant paella pans
- Tapas
Prices and what affects them
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- Whether you need crockery
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The length of service
- Travel, parking and access
Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What we need to know
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- What the venue already provides
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
Nearby places to Rochester
Other catering in Rochester
Rochester events: pitches and permissions
Rochester is about 27 miles east of London, in Medway. Events in Rochester are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cater in all 68 towns and villages in Medway, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Rochester to Canterbury (26 miles away).
If you’re organising a summer fair or fundraiser for a school such as Rochester Riverside Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For visitors coming by rail, Rochester has its own station, Rochester station.
We cook at events all over the ME2, ME1, ME3 and ME4 postcode area and the streets around it. Local streets include High Street, Gundolph Square and Station Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Rochester is on the A2 and A226, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. Other places close to Rochester for festival paella catering include Strood (1 mile west), Borstal (1 mile south-west), Cuxton (2 miles south-west), Lower Bush (3 miles west) and North Halling (3 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Gillingham (4 miles east), Chatham (3 miles south-east), Rainham (5 miles south-east), Park Wood (5 miles south-east), Lordswood (4 miles south-east) and Twydall (4 miles east). As one of the bigger places in Medway, Rochester has lots of places to hold an event.
Other landmarks nearby include Huguenot Museum (within half a mile east) and French Hospital (within half a mile south-east). Not far away are Gad's Hill and Rede Common.
- Schools near Rochester include Fort Pitt Grammar School (1 mile south-east) and Temple School (1.2 miles north)
- Nearby, you’ll find Royal Crown Hotel (within half a mile east)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include City of Rochester-upon-Medway (within half a mile north) and Former Ordnance Store At Chatham Gun Wharf (1.2 miles east)
The menu, dish by dish
Vegan paella
A proper vegan main, in its own pan.
Giant paella pans
Huge pans of golden rice, cooking in full view.
FAQs for Rochester
Is Rochester close to London?
About 27 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
What’s the nearest station to Rochester for guests?
Rochester station, in Rochester itself.
Do you cater in Rochester?
We do. We cook at events in Rochester and across Medway. Send us your date to check availability.
How much space do you need?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Do you do crew catering?
Yes, at set times to suit your schedule. Send us numbers and times.
How quickly can you serve?
Paella is cooked in big batches and served from the pan, so service is quick.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Planners, venues and businesses
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Events we cater in Rochester
Organisers book paella because it draws people into the food area and serves them fast.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Rochester:
- County and country shows
- Food and music festivals
- Feeding crew and volunteers
- Farmers’ and Christmas markets
Running a fête for a church like Church of St Nicholas? A paella pan draws people in.
Questions to ask before you book
- A clear list of what’s included
- VAT, if it applies
- The deadline for final numbers
- When payment is due
- 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