Kent · England
Live paella catering in Castle Hill, Kent
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Castle Hill: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Naming days and family parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Birthday celebrations
Paella catering for Castle Hill events
How it works
We get there well before serving, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Guests typically gather round to watch while it cooks. Around midsummer it stays light in Castle Hill until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
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Paella catering for your event in Castle Hill
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. When it is ready, it’s served straight from the pan. Typical bookings include fairs, fêtes and festivals and garden parties and summer barbecues, with chicken and chorizo paella, vegetable paella and seafood paella.
For a rural spot like Castle Hill, the countryside is part of the appeal: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. You’ll know exactly what’s included before booking: the menu, the staff and any extras.
Paella compared with other options
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and usually costs more per head. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and it’s entertaining too. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why book with us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Catering across Kent, including Castle Hill
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
Read How we price Or The cost guide.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Prices and what affects them
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- The length of service
- Your choice of paellas
- Travel, parking and access
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Details that help
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- The venue or postcode
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Why choose paella catering in Castle Hill?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Community events and fairs
- Staff parties and work lunches
Nearby historic houses include Scotney Castle (4.3 miles south). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
Comparing caterers
- Space, access and power needs
- A clear list of what’s included
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Staff numbers and hours
Castle Hill questions
Is Castle Hill too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Can you cook at venues in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
What happens if it rains?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We’ll make a plan B with you.
Do you come to Castle Hill?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Castle Hill and across Kent. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Which paellas do you recommend?
Most events choose two or three: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. Our menu lists the options.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and it is cooked separately.
Do you cook it at the event?
It is. We arrive with everything we need and cook on the day, serving it hot from the pan.
What happens with live paella?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve at the time you want.
Catering an event in Castle Hill
Castle Hill is about 7 miles east of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. Across the TN12 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. Castle Hill is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 30 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Paddock Wood station is about 2.2 miles away. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Parish Church of All Saints, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Castle Hill is within about 7 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
For paella catering in TN12, we plan around your venue and timings. Whether your event is on Crook Road and Pearson's Green Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. If your venue is just outside Castle Hill, we also cover Palmer's Green (1 mile south-west), Pearson's Green (1 mile north-east), Mile Oak (1 mile north-west), Horsmonden (1 mile south-east) and Hazel Street (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (9 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (13 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (7 miles west), Tonbridge (7 miles north-west), Kings Hill (8 miles north) and Foley Park (10 miles north-east).
A little further out are The Hop Farm Museum (3 miles north) and Tunbridge Wells Hospital (4.7 miles west). The countryside around Castle Hill includes Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve.
- Nearby schools include Mascalls School (1.6 miles north-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Castle Inn (within half a mile north-east)
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Towns and villages near Castle Hill
More for events in Castle Hill
Where we can cook in Castle Hill
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Menu ideas
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Working with your venue
Organising a club, school or community event in Castle Hill? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
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.
- 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