Kent · England
Paella Catering for Chestfield events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Chestfield: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, right in front of your guests.
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Family celebrations and christenings
Planning an event in Chestfield?
How our paella catering works in Chestfield
There’s something generous about paella: big pans, bright colours and a crispy base everyone wants a spoonful of. It turns a meal into an occasion. We are frequently asked to cater retirement celebrations and family celebrations and christenings, with mixed paella, seafood paella and vegetable paella.
In a small place like Chestfield, events are normally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. You will know exactly what’s included before you book: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
Who books paella catering in Chestfield?
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Summer garden parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Festivals, fairs and school events
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St John the Baptist, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Before booking anyone
- The wet-weather plan
- How late numbers can change
- When payment is due
- VAT, if it applies
Common questions in Chestfield
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St John the Baptist?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
How far is Chestfield from London?
About 51 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, on request. Proper crockery or quality disposables can be added to your booking.
How does live paella catering work?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook while everyone watches, and serve when you’re ready to eat.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a photo if you are not sure.
Prices and what affects them
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Travel, parking and access
- The length of service
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The paellas you choose
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
What to tell us
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Where the event is
- Expected numbers
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
DIY paella versus live catering
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Organising for someone else?
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Chestfield? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Planning the cooking area
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think.
What we offer
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together.
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Places near Chestfield
What else we do in Chestfield
What happens on the day
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Evenings in Chestfield stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Get a quote
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Chestfield? Tell us what you have in mind and we will come back with ideas and a quote. To contact us, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Live paella in Chestfield: local details
Chestfield is about 1 mile east of Whitstable, in Kent. We bring paella catering to homes, gardens and venues in Chestfield and the surrounding area. We cook in all 922 towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Swalecliffe Community Primary School, can book us as a food stall. For guests coming by train, Chestfield has its own station, Chestfield & Swalecliffe station. The coast is within about 2 miles of Chestfield, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
For paella catering in CT5, we plan around your venue and your guests. From Maydowns Road, Chestfield Road and Woodvale Avenue or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. You will find Chestfield on the A2990, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. We also cook at events in Swalecliffe (1 mile north), Tankerton (1 mile north-west), Radfall (1 mile south), West End (1 mile east) and Whitstable (1 mile west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Canterbury (5 miles south), Margate (14 miles east), Sittingbourne (14 miles west), Ramsgate (15 miles east), Faversham (8 miles west) and Herne Bay (3 miles east).
A little further out are Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital (0.7 miles north-west) and Tankerton Castle (1.4 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
- Nearby schools include The Whitstable School (1.2 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include The Plough pub (0.7 miles north-east)
Live paella or other catering?
For something a little different, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Why book with us
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- A clear, itemised quote
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Read Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
- 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