Kent · England
Live paella catering in Bidborough, Kent
Planning paella catering in Bidborough? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Naming days and family parties
- Milestone birthday parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Paella catering in Bidborough
Paella catering in Bidborough, cooked live
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. When it’s ready, it’s served straight from the pan. Popular choices include seafood paella, vegan paella and vegetable paella, and typical bookings are for naming days and family parties and garden parties and summer barbecues.
In a rural place like Bidborough, the setting does plenty of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Tell us about access and the ground. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
What we need at the venue
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Bidborough
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
Catering for every guest
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Mention any other courses or food
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Give us separate numbers for children
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 will adjust.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Why choose live paella in Bidborough?
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why Bidborough hosts choose us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- A quote that spells everything out
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Read How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Bidborough: venues, travel and local tips
Bidborough is about 3 miles north-west of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. For an event in Bidborough, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. We cover 922 places across Kent. You can also see our page for London, about 27 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Penshurst Place (2.3 miles west) and Groombridge Place (4.1 miles south-west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Leigh (Kent) station, about 2.1 miles north-west.
Paella catering in TN3 and TN4 is planned around your venue. Whether your event is on High Street, Rectory Drive and Glebelands or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. Other places close to Bidborough for paella catering include Stockland Green (1 mile south), Printstile (1 mile west), Southborough (1 mile south-east), Speldhurst (1 mile south-west) and Lower Haysden (1 mile north). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (14 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (8 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (3 miles south-east), Tonbridge (3 miles north-east), Kings Hill (10 miles north-east) and Foley Park (15 miles north-east).
A little further out are Tonbridge Cottage Hospital (1.7 miles north-east) and Tonbridge Castle (2.5 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve and Barden Lake.
- Schools near Bidborough include St Gregory's Catholic School (1.6 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include The Beehive Public House (0.7 miles south-east)
Your questions about paella catering in Bidborough
How far is Bidborough from London?
About 27 miles from central London, and well within our area.
We are having a ceremony at Parish Church of St Lawrence: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you do desserts?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is generally popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Can we choose the seafood?
We’ll talk through seafood options when we plan your menu, including premium options if you want them.
Can you cook in the rain?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Events we cater in Bidborough
It needs no kitchen, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Bidborough, people book us for events such as:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Garden get-togethers
Parks such as Haysden Country Park typically need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
Before you book anyone
- When final numbers are due
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- A clear list of what’s included
- How long the team stays
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
How it works
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and cook and serve without fuss. In Bidborough, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers 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.
How to prepare
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Tell us when you want to eat
Getting a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Related guides
Prices and what affects them
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Waiting and bar staff
- How long we’re 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 will suggest a menu.
What to tell us
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Where the event is
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, use our quote form.
Planners, venues and businesses
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Events in public spaces, like parks, typically need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Places near Bidborough
What else we do in Bidborough
- 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