Kent · England
Paella Catering for Benenden events
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Benenden. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Community events and fairs
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
Paella catering for Benenden events
About our paella catering in Benenden
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, there’s very little waste, and the food arrives hot. That’s why it works for so many events. Popular choices include mixed paella, paella Valenciana and vegan paella, and typical bookings are for garden get-togethers and staff parties and work lunches.
Somewhere as small as Benenden, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras.
Planning live paella in Benenden
Benenden is about 13 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. Events in Benenden are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Benenden is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. Our events stretch from Benenden to Canterbury (26 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St George, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Benenden Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 3 miles of Benenden, 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 TN17 is planned around your venue. Whether your event is on The Street, Hortons Close and Iden Green Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. You will find Benenden on the B2086, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. If your venue is just outside Benenden, we also cover Iden Green (1 mile south), Coursehorn (2 miles north-west), Baker's Cross (2 miles north-west), Swattenden (2 miles north-west) and Cranbrook (3 miles north-west). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (14 miles north), Ashford (13 miles east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles west), Foley Park (15 miles north), Paddock Wood (11 miles north-west) and Tenterden (5 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Mervyn Quinlan Museum (2 miles north-east) and Sissinghurst Castle (3.2 miles north).
- Local pubs include King William IV Public House (within half a mile south)
Nearby places to Benenden
Also in Benenden
Events we cater in Benenden
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.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Benenden and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Naming days and family parties
- Milestone birthday parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Historic houses near Benenden include Great Dixter (5 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
What to look for in a quote
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Allergen information for each dish
- Staff numbers and hours
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, for guests who want a bit of everything.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Dietary needs and planning tips
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
Paella is best eaten as soon as it is ready, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
How we price paella catering
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- Whether you need crockery
- How many staff you need
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Timings and hours
There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
What to tell us
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- What the venue already provides
- The address or venue name
- The courses you’d like
Send us the date, your venue or TN17 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just use our quote form.
What we need at the venue
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you, and suggest an alternative. The main points are:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
Menu ideas
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
For planners, venues and organisers
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
What happens on the day
We take care of the food from set-up to service, so you’re free to enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first as the rice is cooking. In Benenden, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- 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.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
How to get a price
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Read more
Your questions about paella catering in Benenden
How far is Benenden from London?
Roughly 42 miles from the centre of London.
Do you come out to small places like Benenden?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cater for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Can you bring crockery?
If you need them, yes. Proper crockery or quality disposables are available.
Can we choose the seafood?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu, including premium options if you want them.
How does live paella catering work?
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.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
- 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