Medway · England
Paella Catering for Blue Bell Hill events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Blue Bell Hill: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Garden get-togethers
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
Paella catering near Blue Bell Hill
Paella catering for your event in Blue Bell Hill
A couple of different pans covers everyone: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Every pan is cooked on its own, so diets are easy to manage. We are frequently asked to cater wedding breakfasts and evening food and leaving dos and retirements, with vegan paella, black rice and paella Valenciana.
Somewhere as small as Blue Bell Hill, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
What we need at the venue
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you, and help find another spot. The main points are:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Blue Bell Hill
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
The process
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. Around midsummer it stays light in Blue Bell Hill until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
How to prepare
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Getting a price
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Read more
Planning live paella in Blue Bell Hill
Blue Bell Hill is about 2 miles south-west of Chatham, in Medway. For an event in Blue Bell Hill, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Blue Bell Hill. Blue Bell Hill is one of 68 towns and villages in Medway where we cook. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 25 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Snodland station, about 2.5 miles west. For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Alban's Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Blue Bell Hill. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in ME5 is planned around your venue and your guests. Your event could be at a home on Laurie Gray Avenue, Thorn Close and Barling Close or the roads around them. We also cook at events in Kit's Coty (1 mile south), Walderslade (1 mile east), Lordswood (2 miles east), Chatham (2 miles north-east) and Lidsing (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Gillingham (4 miles north-east), Rochester (4 miles north), Rainham (5 miles north-east), Strood (4 miles north), Luton (3 miles north-east) and Park Wood (4 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include St. Bartholomew's Hospital (3.5 miles north) and Pentagon Shopping Centre (3.6 miles north). Not far away are Burham Down and Boxley Hills.
- Local schools include Greenacre Academy (1.5 miles north-east)
- Pubs nearby include Robin Hood Public House (0.9 miles north-west)
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Paella compared with other options
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, because each paella has its own pan. It is served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before booking.
Why book with us
- Catering across Medway, including Blue Bell Hill
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Served hot, straight from the pan
See Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
Planning for every diet
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Mention any other courses or food
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Organising for someone else?
Organising a club, school or community event in Blue Bell Hill? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Towns and villages near Blue Bell Hill
What else we do in Blue Bell Hill
Why choose paella catering in Blue Bell Hill?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Blue Bell Hill book us for events such as:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Retirement celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Westfield Wood? Public parks normally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
What to look for in a quote
- How long the team stays
- The deadline for final numbers
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- The deposit and payment dates
Blue Bell Hill questions
Is Blue Bell Hill close to London?
Roughly 28 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
We’re having a ceremony at St Alban's Church: 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.
What does paella catering cost?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
How do you work out quantities?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Do we need to provide equipment?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You just need a suitable spot and access.
How long does the paella take?
We get there in good time to set up. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
What affects the price in Blue Bell Hill
There is nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Timings and hours
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Whether you need crockery
- How many staff you need
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Getting an accurate quote
To check availability and price, we need:
- The venue or postcode
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Your date and when you want to eat
Planning paella catering in Blue Bell Hill? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just use our quote form.
- 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