Kent · England
Live paella catering in Allington, Kent
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Allington. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Company summer parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
Book paella catering in Allington
What paella catering costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- The paellas you choose
- Distance and access to the venue
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How long we are needed on site
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Getting an accurate quote
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Expected numbers
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- What the venue already provides
- The date and time of the event
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Paella catering for your event in Allington
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Every pan is cooked on its own. On the menu are chicken and chorizo paella, vegetable paella and seafood paella, and typical bookings are for anniversaries and engagement parties and summer garden parties.
In and around Allington, gardens and local halls are common choices. If the road in is narrow, tell us so we can plan the van. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Space, weather and the venue
Every venue is different, so we will ask about yours when you contact us. Generally, we look for:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before you book.
On the menu in Allington
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
Diets, allergies and planning
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Mention any other courses or food
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If plans change, tell us and we’ll adjust.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
About the dishes
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together, and a popular all-rounder.
Why choose live paella in Allington?
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why choose Love Paella in Allington
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- A quote that spells everything out
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
Read Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Live paella in Allington: local details
Allington is about 2 miles north-west of Maidstone, in Kent. Whether your event is in the middle of Allington or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cook in 922 places across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 25 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Stoneacre (4.2 miles south-east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Barming station, about 0.8 miles west. Allington is within about 7 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the ME16, ME20 and ME14 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Whether your event is on Wyatt Road, Beaver Road and Godwin Road or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. If your venue is just outside Allington, we also cover Aylesford (1 mile north-west), Fant (1 mile south), Ditton (2 miles west), East Farleigh (2 miles south) and Kettle Corner (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Sittingbourne (11 miles east), Sevenoaks (13 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles south-west), Gravesend (11 miles north-west), Tonbridge (11 miles south-west) and Northfleet (12 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum (1.3 miles south-east) and Fremlin Walk (1.3 miles south-east). The countryside around Allington includes Burham Down and Boxley Hills.
- Nearby schools include The Maplesden Noakes School (0.7 miles south-east) and St. Simon Stock Catholic School (0.9 miles south)
- Nearby, you will find Malta Inn (0.8 miles north-east)
Allington: your questions answered
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
We are having a ceremony at St. Nicholas' Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you provide dessert?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.
What if the weather’s bad?
We cook under cover, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
What happens with live paella?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook in front of your guests, and serve at the time you want.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, where your guests can watch.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
Places near Allington
Other catering in Allington
For event organisers in Allington
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
What happens on the day
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. In Allington, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Getting a price
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Allington? Send us the details and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. To get in touch, use our quote form.
Planning help
- 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