Kent · England
Live paella catering in Ash, Kent
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Ash and across Kent.
- Naming days and family parties
- Garden get-togethers
- Birthday celebrations
Book paella catering in Ash
Paella catering in Ash, cooked live
A couple of different pans covers everyone: meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan paellas. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. Popular choices include black rice, mixed paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and typical bookings are for naming days and family parties and milestone birthday parties.
Around Ash, events are often in gardens, local halls or nearby venues. If access is tight, we will plan around it. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Planners, venues and businesses
Organising a club, school or community event in Ash? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Places near Ash
What else we do in Ash
Ash: venues, travel and local tips
Ash is about 7 miles north-west of Deal, in Kent. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Ash and the surrounding area. Ash is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 9 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Sandwich station, about 2.8 miles east. Nearby historic houses include Goodnestone Park (3.3 miles south-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
This part of Kent takes in CT3, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. From The Street, Goodban Square and Chilton Place or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Guilton (1 mile west), Weddington (1 mile north-east), Durlock (1 mile west), Cop Street (1 mile north) and Coombe (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (9 miles west), Margate (8 miles north-east), Dover (10 miles south), Folkestone (14 miles south), Ramsgate (7 miles north-east) and Broadstairs (9 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include White Mill (2.1 miles east). The countryside around Ash includes Monk's Wall nature reserve.
- Local pubs include The Chequer Inn (under half a mile west)
How we price paella catering
These are the factors that matter most:
- How many courses
- Distance and access to the venue
- The number of people
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Details that help
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- Anything your venue supplies
- Which courses you have in mind
- The date and rough timings
- Any dietary needs and allergies
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Tell us about your event in Ash, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Perfect for your event in Ash
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks and then sit down to share.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Ash, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Birthday celebrations
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Nicholas, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Before booking anyone
- When final numbers are due
- How long the team stays
- What happens if it rains
- Payment terms and deposit
FAQs for Ash
How far is Ash from London?
About 61 miles from central London.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Nicholas?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Does paella work for big events?
It’s ideal. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
What space do you need to cook?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
How long do you need on site?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you so the paella is ready when you want it.
Will there be enough food?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Accurate numbers help.
How soon do we need to book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
Do you cover Ash?
We do. Ash is one of the places we cover. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Have seats for most of your guests
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If plans change, tell us and we’ll adjust.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago, or serve your own cake.
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron.
The process
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell normally draws people over. Around midsummer it stays light in Ash until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, 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.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
How to prepare
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Get a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
Related guides
Where we can cook in Ash
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo 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