Kent · England
Live paella catering in Acton, Kent
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Acton and across Kent.
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Retirement and leaving parties
Planning an event in Acton?
Diets, allergies and planning
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Mention any other courses or food
Paella is best eaten as soon as it is ready, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
Paella catering in Acton, cooked live
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. When it’s ready, it’s served straight from the pan. We cook seafood paella, paella Valenciana and black rice, and we’re regularly asked to cater big birthdays and weddings, from canapés to evening food.
Somewhere as small as Acton, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
Other catering in Acton
How the day works
Here’s how the day normally runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan at the agreed time. Planning an evening event in Acton? Sunset is around 8:45pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Get a quote
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Planning help
For planners, venues and organisers
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Prices and what affects them
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- How many courses
- The length of service
- Your choice of paellas
- Waiting and bar staff
There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
What to tell us
These details help us quote quickly:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and rough timings
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Common questions in Acton
We are having a ceremony at Parish Church of St John the Baptist: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Can you cook near the sea around Acton?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, where your guests can watch.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Can you cook in the rain?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Do you cover Acton?
We do. We cook at events in Acton and across Kent. Send us your date to check availability.
How soon do we need to book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
When do you arrive?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Paella catering around Acton
Acton is about 10 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. Events in Acton are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. Acton is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 24 miles away.
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Wittersham Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Nearby historic houses include Smallhythe Place (1.5 miles north-west) and Lamb House (4.9 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. Acton is within about 5 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Here we cover the TN30 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Other places close to Acton for paella catering include The Stocks (1 mile south), Stone Corner (1 mile north-east), Wittersham (1 mile south-west), Reading Street (2 miles north-east) and Stone in Oxney (2 miles east). Further out, we also cater in Ashford (10 miles north-east), Tenterden (4 miles north), Kennington (12 miles north-east), New Romney (10 miles east), Staplehurst (12 miles north-west) and Stanhope (10 miles north-east).
A little further out are Smallhythe Place (1.5 miles north-west) and Ypres Tower (4.9 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Flatropers Wood.
- Local pubs include The Ewe And Lamb Inn (0.6 miles south-west)
Occasions we cook for in Acton
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Milestone birthday parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Festivals, fairs and school events
For guests coming by train, Appledore (Kent) station is about 4.4 miles away.
What your quote should include
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- The deadline for final numbers
- Whether travel is included
- What the price includes, item by item
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Paella compared with other options
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why Acton hosts choose us
- We cover Acton and the whole of Kent
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
Read How we price And The cost guide.
Where we can cook in Acton
We will be honest if a space will not work, and help find another spot. The main points are:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Level ground for the pans and burners
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- 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