Kent · England
Paella Catering for Boughton Lees events
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Boughton Lees and nearby, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Community events and fairs
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Office lunches and staff parties
Paella catering in Boughton Lees
What’s in the pans
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together.
Paella catering in Boughton Lees, cooked live
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields. We are frequently asked to cater birthday celebrations and engagement and anniversary parties, with vegetable paella, seafood paella and paella Valenciana.
In a hamlet or village like Boughton Lees, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served as soon as it’s ready.
Catering for every guest
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
A short rest after cooking helps, and that is when we invite guests up.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
Live paella in Boughton Lees: local details
Boughton Lees is about 4 miles north of Ashford, in Kent. Whether your event is in the middle of Boughton Lees or on the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Boughton Lees is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Boughton Lees to Canterbury (10 miles away).
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Saint Christopher's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Wye station, about 1.4 miles east. Boughton Lees is within about 2 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
For paella catering in TN25, we plan around your venue and timings. Streets in the area include Wye Road, Pilgrims Way and Faversham Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Close by, we cover events in Kennington (2 miles south), Bockhanger (2 miles south-west), Potters Corner (2 miles south-west), Westwell (2 miles west) and Godinton (3 miles south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Ashford (4 miles south), Canterbury (10 miles north-east), Sittingbourne (13 miles north-west), Folkestone (14 miles south-east), Whitstable (13 miles north-east) and Faversham (9 miles north).
A little further out are William Harvey Hospital (3.3 miles south) and County Square (2.9 miles south-west). The countryside around Boughton Lees includes Hatch Park.
- Pubs nearby include Flying Horse Inn (less than half a mile north-west)
Occasions we cook for in Boughton Lees
It needs no kitchen, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Boughton Lees book us for events such as:
- Birthday celebrations
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Towers School and Sixth Form Centre, can book us as a food stall.
What to look for in a quote
- VAT, if it applies
- Allergen information for each dish
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- When final numbers are due
Step by step
We work to your timings. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we adjust the cooking so it’s still served fresh. Around midsummer it stays light in Boughton Lees until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- 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.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Share the running order, including any speeches
How to get a price
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
Read more
How we price paella catering
There is nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Parking and unloading
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
The cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What to tell us
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- Where the event is
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Expected numbers
- What the venue already provides
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Your questions about paella catering in Boughton Lees
How far is Boughton Lees from London?
Roughly 48 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Saint Christopher's Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Do you come to Boughton Lees?
We do. We cook at events in Boughton Lees and across Kent. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Can you feed a lot of people?
It is ideal. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
How long do you need on site?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Which paellas do you recommend?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is usually the most popular, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
What areas do you cover?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Boughton Lees.
What seafood can we have?
We will suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Nearby places to Boughton Lees
What else we do in Boughton Lees
Paella compared with other options
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
Why us?
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Catering across Kent, including Boughton Lees
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Take a look at Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
Working with your venue
Many venues have rules for 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.
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
- 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