Kent · England
Paella Catering in Charing
Looking for paella catering in Charing? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
Live paella catering in Charing
About our paella catering in Charing
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We’re frequently asked to cater retirement and leaving parties and milestone birthday parties, serving paella Valenciana, seafood paella and black rice.
For a place the size of Charing, your own garden is often the best venue: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Let us know about access to the house. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
Charing: venues, travel and local tips
Charing is about 6 miles north-west of Ashford, in Kent. Tell us where your event in Charing will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up. We cook in all 922 towns and villages in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 13 miles away.
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Peter and St Paul, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Charing Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 7 miles of Charing, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cater events across TN27. From The High Street, Market Place and Station Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. For events just outside Charing, we cover Charing Heath (1 mile west), Cold Harbour (2 miles north-west), Lenham Heath (2 miles west), Stonebridge Green (2 miles west) and Lenham Forstal (3 miles west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (12 miles west), Ashford (6 miles south-east), Canterbury (13 miles east), Sittingbourne (9 miles north), Whitstable (14 miles north-east) and Faversham (8 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Coldbridge Castle (4.3 miles west).
- Nearby, you will find King's Head Public House (less than half a mile north-east)
What we need at the venue
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
Menu ideas
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
Why choose paella catering in Charing?
It needs no kitchen, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Charing and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Company summer parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Family celebrations and christenings
Historic houses near Charing include Godinton House (3.9 miles south-east) and Belmont House and Gardens (4.7 miles north-east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one.
What your quote should include
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Allergen information for each dish
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- What happens if it rains
How we price paella catering
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- How many guests are eating
- The paellas you choose
- Travel, parking and access
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before you book.
Getting an accurate quote
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- The venue or postcode
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- The courses you’d like
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Charing, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Step by step
We get there well before serving, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch as the paella takes shape. Planning an evening event in Charing? Sunset is around 8:45pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Give us a contact for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Ask for a quote
Planning paella catering in Charing? Send us the details and we will come back with ideas and a quote. To contact us, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Charing: your questions answered
Which station should guests use for Charing?
Charing has its own station: Charing station.
Can you cook at venues in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will follow the site rules.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Do you come to Charing?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Charing and across Kent. Send us your date to check availability.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Yes. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
How long does the paella take?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Is live paella right for your event?
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and usually costs more per head. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and it’s entertaining too. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why choose Love Paella in Charing
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Take a look at How we price And What paella catering costs.
Places near Charing
Also in Charing
Planning for every diet
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Count adults and children separately
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we time it carefully. If timings shift, we adapt.
Tapas or canapés make a good start while the paella cooks.
Organising for someone else?
Throwing a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
- 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