Kent · England
Paella Catering for Birling events
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Birling.
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Summer garden parties
- Community events and fairs
Paella catering near Birling
About our paella catering in Birling
Keep it simple, or go all out: paella on its own, or with canapés, table tapas, desserts and sangria. We will recommend what fits your event. Whether it’s milestone birthday parties and festivals, fairs and school events, we will put together a menu of black rice, paella Valenciana and vegan paella for your guests.
In a hamlet or village like Birling, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Events we cater in Birling
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Community events and fairs
- Birthday celebrations
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of All Saints, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Questions to ask before you book
- VAT, if it applies
- What the price includes, item by item
- How bad weather is handled
- The deposit and payment dates
Also in Birling
Common questions in Birling
Is Birling too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of All Saints?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Where do you cater?
We cater across London and the South East, including Kent. Find your area.
What happens with live paella?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
What happens if it rains?
We cook under cover, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
How much does paella catering cost in Birling?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan a pan with them in mind.
Dietary needs and planning tips
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Tell us what else is being served
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Confirm allergies by email
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Catering an event in Birling
Birling is about 6 miles south-west of Chatham, in Kent. For paella catering in Birling, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Birling is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. Our events stretch from Birling to London (25 miles away).
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Leybourne Lakes Country Park? Public parks usually need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. For guests coming by train, West Malling station is about 1.8 miles away.
Wherever your event is in ME19, we can cook for your guests. Streets in the area include Ryarsh Road, Masters Lane and Bull Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Close by, we cover events in Paddlesworth (1 mile north), Leybourne (1 mile south-east), Lunsford (1 mile east), Snodland (2 miles north-east) and Larkfield (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (6 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (14 miles east), Dartford (12 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (10 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles south-west) and Gravesend (8 miles north).
A little further out are Leybourne Castle (1.1 miles south-east) and Maidstone Hospital (4.5 miles south-east). The countryside around Birling includes Blue Bell Hill and Burham Down.
- Local schools include The Holmesdale School (1.4 miles east)
- Local pubs include The Duke Of Wellington Public House (0.6 miles south-west)
For planners, venues and organisers
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Before you choose a spot
No two venues are the same, so we’ll ask about yours when you contact us. In general, we need:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Popular choices
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron.
DIY paella versus live catering
Some hosts like to cook themselves. 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.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
What affects the price in Birling
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- How many courses
- The number of people
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
What to tell us
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The date and rough timings
- The venue or postcode
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, fill in our quote form.
The process
The cooking is part of the entertainment. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. Planning an evening event in Birling? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Preparing for the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Getting a price
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Related guides
- 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