Kent · England
Paella Catering in Acol
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Acol.
- Company summer parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Birthday celebrations
Live paella catering in Acol
Paella catering in Acol, cooked live
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. For garden parties and summer barbecues and staff parties and work lunches, we can cook seafood paella, black rice and vegetable paella for your guests.
For a rural spot like Acol, the countryside is part of the appeal: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Who books paella catering in Acol?
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Acol:
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Birthday celebrations
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Birchington Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Before booking anyone
- When payment is due
- Whether VAT is included
- How late numbers can change
- How long the team stays
Towns and villages near Acol
Other catering in Acol
Acol: venues, travel and local tips
Acol is about 4 miles south-west of Margate, in Kent. Events in Acol are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. Acol is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 11 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Quex Park (0.8 miles north-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St Mildreds Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The coast is within about 4 miles of Acol, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Anywhere in CT7, we can cook for your guests. From The Street, Dilnot Lane and Margate Hill or a nearby road, we can cook there. Close by, we cover events in Mount Pleasant (1 mile south), Birchington (1 mile north), Way (1 mile south-east), Minster (2 miles south) and Westgate-on-Sea (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (11 miles south-west), Margate (4 miles north-east), Dover (15 miles south), Ramsgate (4 miles east), Broadstairs (5 miles east) and Whitstable (12 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include Powell-Cotton Museum (0.7 miles north) and Westwood Cross (3.6 miles east). The countryside around Acol includes Sandwich and Pegwell Bay.
- Local schools include King Ethelbert School (1.4 miles north)
- Local pubs include Crown & Sceptre pub (under half a mile north)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include Margate West (2.4 miles north-east)
Paella compared with other options
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain to your event in Acol. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why us?
- Fast service from the pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Sangria and bar staff available
See How we price And The cost guide.
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is normally served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
How the day works
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. In Acol, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Before we arrive
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Give us a contact for the day
Ask for a quote
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote.
Related guides
Dietary needs and planning tips
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Send allergies to us in writing
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
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.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
For event organisers in Acol
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
If you are organising for someone else, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Where we can cook in Acol
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Acol
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
Acol questions
We are having a ceremony at St Mildreds Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook near the sea around Acol?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
What does paella catering cost?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we’ll reply with a price.
How long do you need on site?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Can you do sangria?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Which paellas suit our guests?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Are premium seafood options available?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu, including premium options if you want them.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Of course. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
- 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