Kent · England
Paella Catering for Blean events
Planning paella catering in Blean? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Garden get-togethers
- Retirement celebrations
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Paella catering near Blean
About our paella catering in Blean
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. When it is ready, it is served straight from the pan. Whether it is birthday celebrations and fairs, fêtes and festivals, we will put together a menu of vegetable paella, seafood paella and chicken and chorizo paella for your guests.
In a hamlet or village like Blean, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and service is quick once it is ready.
Perfect for your event in Blean
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Milestone birthday parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Garden get-togethers
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Cosmus and St Damian, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Comparing caterers
- What the price includes, item by item
- Travel and parking costs
- VAT, if it applies
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
For planners, venues and organisers
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
FAQs for Blean
Which station should guests use for Blean?
The closest is Canterbury West station, roughly 2.1 miles away.
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Cosmus and St Damian: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
How do you work out quantities?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, Kent included. See all areas.
How does live paella catering work?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
What happens if it rains?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will talk it through before the day.
When should we book?
The sooner the better. Peak dates go quickly, so get in touch early.
Places near Blean
What else we do in Blean
DIY paella versus live catering
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Planning the cooking area
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
On the menu in Blean
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
Is live paella right for your event?
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and it’s entertaining too. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why choose Love Paella in Blean
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Served hot, straight from the pan
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
A closer look at the menu
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Step by step
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. In Blean, 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. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You share 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.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Let us know the timings for the day
Get a quote
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, use our quote form.
Planning help
What paella catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Whether you need crockery
- How long we’re needed on site
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- How many courses
The cost per head normally falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
What to tell us
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The venue or postcode
- Diets and allergies you know about
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Blean: venues, travel and local tips
Blean is about 3 miles north-west of Canterbury, in Kent. Whether your event is in the middle of Blean or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Blean is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook.
For guests coming by train, Canterbury West station is about 2.1 miles away. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Blean Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Blean is within about 4 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Here we cover the CT2 postcode area. Whether your event is on Westfield, School Lane and Vicarage Lane or a nearby road, we can cook there. With the A290 close by, Blean is easy for us to reach for your event. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Honey Hill (1 mile north-west), Tyler Hill (1 mile east), Denstroude (1 mile north-west), Hackington (1 mile east) and Yorkletts (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Ashford (14 miles south-west), Canterbury (3 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (14 miles west), Whitstable (3 miles north), Faversham (7 miles west) and Herne Bay (6 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Sidney Cooper Museum (2.3 miles south-east) and Eastbridge Hospital of St Thomas the Martyr (2.4 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
- Local schools include St Edmund's School (1.3 miles south-east) and The Archbishop's School (1.6 miles south-east)
- 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