Kent · England
Live paella catering in Bearsted, Kent
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Bearsted and the surrounding area.
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Naming days and family parties
Paella catering in Bearsted
Paella catering in Bearsted, cooked live
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field in and around Bearsted. Popular choices include chicken and chorizo paella, mixed paella and paella Valenciana, and typical bookings are for retirement and leaving parties and christenings and family gatherings.
Around Bearsted, events are often in gardens, local halls or nearby venues. If access is tight, we’ll plan around it. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan.
Prices and what affects them
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- The number of people
- Whether you need crockery
- Distance and access to the venue
- The length of service
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Details that help
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- The address or venue name
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Perfect for your event in Bearsted
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, thanks to separate pans for each version. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
In Bearsted and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Company summer parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Summer garden parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
Historic houses near Bearsted include Stoneacre (1.3 miles south) and Leeds Castle (2.9 miles south-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Before you book anyone
- Staff numbers and hours
- How bad weather is handled
- If the price includes VAT
- Who provides the crockery
Catering for every guest
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Send allergies to us in writing
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Paella compared with other options
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
Why us?
- Fast service from the pan
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Drinks service on request
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
Read Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
Organising for someone else?
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Bearsted? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Your questions about paella catering in Bearsted
Is Bearsted close to London?
About 33 miles from central London, and well within our area.
What’s the nearest station to Bearsted for guests?
Bearsted station, in Bearsted itself.
Can paella be the only main course?
Yes. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main, and tapas or dessert can be added.
What seafood can we have?
We will suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Can you cater for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we will plan for them.
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.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook on the day, then serve straight from the pan.
What is live paella catering?
We set up a cooking area at your venue, cook the paella from scratch in large pans while your guests watch, and serve it straight from the pan.
How it works
Here’s how the day usually runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and it is served hot from the pan when you’re ready to eat. In Bearsted, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are usually served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Before we arrive
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Get a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Planning live paella in Bearsted
Bearsted is about 2 miles east of Maidstone, in Kent. For paella catering in Bearsted, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Bearsted is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 22 miles away.
Parks such as Mote Park normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. For guests coming by train, Bearsted station is in Bearsted itself. Bearsted is within about 3 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 ME14 and ME15 is planned around your venue and your guests. From The Street, Tower Lane and Roseacre Lane or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. Nearby, we also cater events in Weavering (1 mile west), Grove Green (1 mile north-west), Caring (1 mile south-east), Thurnham (1 mile north-east) and Willington (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Sittingbourne (9 miles north-east), Gravesend (14 miles north-west), Tonbridge (14 miles west), Faversham (14 miles east), Northfleet (15 miles north-west) and Minster (14 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include KIMS hospital (1.2 miles north-west) and The Mall Maidstone (2 miles west). Not far away are Detling Hill.
- Local schools include Valley Park School (1.6 miles west)
- Nearby, you will find The Kentish Yeoman pub (less than half a mile south)
Also near Bearsted
Other catering in Bearsted
Before you choose a spot
No two venues are the same, so we’ll ask about yours before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Bearsted
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed 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