Medway · England
Festival & event paella in Rochester Riverside, Medway
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Rochester Riverside. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Village fêtes
- Festivals
- Farmers’ and Christmas markets
Planning an event in Rochester Riverside?
How our festival paella catering works in Rochester Riverside
Because paella is cooked in big batches, it handles lunchtime rushes well. Portions are served in seconds. Typical bookings include farmers’ and Christmas markets and festivals, with giant-pan paella, churros and chicken and chorizo paella.
In Rochester Riverside, one trader covering most diets keeps it simple. Paella does exactly that. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Event catering near Rochester Riverside
Rochester Riverside is about 1 mile east of Rochester, in Medway. From the centre of Rochester Riverside to the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Rochester Riverside is one of 68 towns and villages in Medway where we cook. Our events stretch from Rochester Riverside to Canterbury (26 miles away).
For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Church of St Nicholas, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. If your event is in The Paddock, the organiser will need the landowner’s permission; we’ll supply our paperwork.
For festival paella catering in ME1, ME2 and ME3, we plan around your venue and timings. We can cater an event on streets such as Crow Lane, Love Lane and Corys Road or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Rochester Riverside, we also cover Frindsbury (1 mile north), Chatham Waterfront (1 mile south-east), Brompton (1 mile east), Luton (2 miles south-east) and Chatham (3 miles south-east). Further out, we also cater in Gillingham (3 miles south-east), Rainham (5 miles south-east), Park Wood (5 miles south-east), Lordswood (4 miles south-east), Twydall (4 miles east) and Hoo St Werburgh (3 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include French Hospital (within half a mile south-west) and Pentagon Shopping Centre (0.9 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Gad's Hill and Rede Common.
- Schools near Rochester Riverside include Fort Pitt Grammar School (0.7 miles south-east) and St John Fisher RC Comprehensive School (1 mile south-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Eagle Tavern (under half a mile south-west)
- Local facilities include City of Rochester-upon-Medway (less than half a mile north-west) and Former Ordnance Store At Chatham Gun Wharf (0.7 miles east)
Paella compared with other options
Hot-cabinet food lacks theatre. A giant pan cooking in view sells itself. Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
What you get with us
- Catering across Medway, including Rochester Riverside
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Read Our pricing And The cost guide.
Questions from Rochester Riverside
Can you run a stall at a school fair in Rochester Riverside?
Yes, if the school is happy for us to cook on site. Send us the date, pitch and expected numbers.
How far is Rochester Riverside from London?
Roughly 27 miles from the centre of London.
How quickly can you serve?
Service from the pan is fast, which suits busy periods.
Where do you cater?
We cater across London and the South East, including Medway. See all areas.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Can you trade at our festival or fair?
Send us the event details, dates and pitch information, and we’ll let you know if we are available.
Places near Rochester Riverside
Other catering in Rochester Riverside
The process
Watching it cook is half the fun. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. Evening events in Rochester Riverside have light until about 9:20pm at midsummer; after that, the pitch needs good lighting.
- Send the event name, expected visitors and pitch size.
- We reply with our menu, prices for visitors and requirements.
- Paperwork goes over in good time.
- We time the first pans for the lunchtime rush.
- When trading ends, the pitch is cleared and left clean.
How to prepare
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Getting a price
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Tell us about your event in Rochester Riverside, and we will put together a menu and price.
Planning help
Planning the cooking area
If a space isn’t suitable, we will tell you, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- Vehicle access before and after the event
- Clear information on power, water and waste
- Trader information and site rules
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
What we offer
- Giant paella pans
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Tapas
- Churros
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Send traders one clear trader pack
- Provide seating near the food
- Make allergen information visible at every stall
- Check how many portions traders can serve
If crew or volunteer meals are booked, they’re served at the agreed times.
Extra pans for busy periods.
Organising for someone else?
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
The menu, dish by dish
Chicken & chorizo paella
A hearty, smoky pan, popular with families.
Giant paella pans
A pan the size of a cartwheel, full of saffron rice.
Prices and what affects them
These are the factors that matter most:
- The length of service
- Distance and access to the venue
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Starters, canapés and desserts
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What we need to know
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- The date and time of the event
- Diets and allergies you know about
- The courses you’d like
Send us the date, your venue or ME1 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
DIY paella versus live catering
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
- 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