Kent · England
Paella Catering in Bowmans
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 Bowmans.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Company summer parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
Paella catering near Bowmans
Paella catering in Bowmans, made fresh on the day
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the aroma does the rest. We are frequently asked to cater family celebrations and christenings and anniversary celebrations, with seafood paella, black rice and vegan paella.
A place like Bowmans frequently has a hall, a club or a pub garden nearby; any can work for paella, with permission and somewhere outside to cook. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
For event organisers in Bowmans
Hosting a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
About the dishes
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
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.
Nearby places to Bowmans
More for events in Bowmans
Prices and what affects them
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Guest numbers
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- How long we’re needed on site
- Travel, parking and access
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Expected numbers
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The address or venue name
- Your date and when you want to eat
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, send us your details through our quote form.
Is live paella right for your event?
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, so everyone can eat at the same time. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Why us?
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
The process
A typical event goes like this: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan when you’re ready to eat. Planning an evening event in Bowmans? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Ask for a quote
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Dietary needs and planning tips
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
Planning live paella in Bowmans
Bowmans is about 2 miles west of Dartford, in Kent. Wherever your event is in the DA1 area, we can bring the pans to you. Bowmans is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. Our events stretch from Bowmans to London (13 miles away).
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Wentworth Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Barnabas, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Bowmans is within about 8 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Here we cover the DA1, DA2 and DA5 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Streets in the area include Swan Lane, Dale Road and Ross Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Bowmans sits on or near the A2018, which makes travel to your event easy. Other places close to Bowmans for paella catering include Wilmington (1 mile south), Crayford (1 mile north), Coldblow (1 mile west), Joyden's Wood (1 mile south-west) and Barnes Cray (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include Sevenoaks (11 miles south), Gravesend (9 miles east), Northfleet (7 miles east), Swanley (3 miles south), Kings Hill (15 miles south-east) and Swanscombe (5 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Bexley Museum (1.1 miles north-west) and Broadway Shopping Centre (1.9 miles north-west). Not far away are Wansunt Pit.
- Local schools include Wilmington Grammar School for Girls (0.8 miles south-east) and St Columba's Catholic Boys' School (1.4 miles north-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find Bird in Hand pub (0.8 miles north-east)
- Local facilities include Colyers (2.2 miles north)
Why choose paella catering in Bowmans?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Bowmans book us for occasions like:
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Garden get-togethers
- Office lunches and staff parties
Parks such as Dartford Heath generally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
Before you book anyone
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- Whether travel is included
Bowmans: your questions answered
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
How far is Bowmans from London?
About 13 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Which areas do you serve?
We cover London and the South East, including Kent. Find your area.
Do you provide drinks?
Yes, sangria. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
What space do you need to cook?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Very much so. We size pans and serving points to your guest list.
How does live paella catering work?
We set up a cooking area at your venue, cook the paella from scratch in large pans while your guests watch, and serve it straight from the pan.
What we need at the venue
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- 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