Kent · England
Live paella catering in Badlesmere, Kent
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Badlesmere and across Kent.
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Milestone birthday parties
Paella catering in Badlesmere
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
How our paella catering works in Badlesmere
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, very little goes to waste, and the food is served hot. That is why it works for so many events. We’re often asked to cater retirement celebrations and anniversaries and engagement parties, serving seafood paella, vegetable paella and mixed paella.
In a small place like Badlesmere, events are typically in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Planning live paella in Badlesmere
Badlesmere is about 4 miles south of Preston, in Kent. Tell us where your event in Badlesmere will be, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. We cater in 922 places across Kent. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 9 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Selling station, about 2.7 miles north-east. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Leonard, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Badlesmere is within about 6 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in ME13 is planned around your venue. Other places close to Badlesmere for paella catering include Sheldwich Lees (1 mile north), Sheldwich (1 mile north), Throwley (1 mile west), Throwley Forstal (1 mile west) and North Street (2 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (15 miles west), Ashford (8 miles south), Canterbury (9 miles east), Sittingbourne (9 miles north-west), Whitstable (9 miles north-east) and Faversham (4 miles north).
A little further out are Tower keep castle at Chilham (3.4 miles east).
- Local pubs include Red Lion pub (0.8 miles south-west)
What paella catering costs
There’s nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The number of people
- Whether you need crockery
- How long we’re needed on site
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What we need to know
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- The venue or postcode
- What the venue already provides
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A picture of the space, if you can
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Badlesmere, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
How the day works
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. In Badlesmere, 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. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- 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.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
How to prepare
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Ask for a quote
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Working with your venue
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Why choose live paella in Badlesmere?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What you get with us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Drinks service on request
Take a look at Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
Common questions in Badlesmere
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Leonard?
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.
Do you come out to small places like Badlesmere?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Who clears up?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Can you bring crockery?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
Do you cover Badlesmere?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Badlesmere and across Kent. Send us your date to check availability.
Which paella is most popular?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
Why choose paella catering in Badlesmere?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Badlesmere and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Garden get-togethers
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Sheldwich Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Questions to ask before you book
- When final numbers are due
- Staff numbers and hours
- Space, access and power needs
- Any travel, parking or access charges
Planning for every diet
With a little notice, every diet is easy. We suggest:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
Where we can cook in Badlesmere
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Also near Badlesmere
What else we do in Badlesmere
- 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