Kent · England
Live paella catering in Chipstead, Kent
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Chipstead: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Naming days and family parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
Live paella catering in Chipstead
Paella catering in Chipstead, cooked live
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. On the menu are mixed paella, black rice and vegetable paella, and we are frequently booked for weddings, from canapés to evening food and birthday celebrations.
In a small place like Chipstead, events are usually in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
What paella catering costs
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The length of service
- Travel, parking and access
- The paellas you choose
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Getting an accurate quote
To speed things up, tell us:
- The date and rough timings
- Roughly how many adults and children
- What the venue already provides
- The venue or postcode
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Also near Chipstead
What else we do in Chipstead
Planners, venues and businesses
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Chipstead? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Planning the cooking area
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Chipstead
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
Dietary needs and planning tips
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Give us separate numbers for children
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we time it carefully. If plans change, tell us and we’ll adjust.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
How it works
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. Planning an evening event in Chipstead? 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.
- It starts with your date, venue, 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.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Ask for a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
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Dishes our guests love
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, and a popular all-rounder.
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It’s a striking addition to a seafood menu.
DIY paella versus live catering
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Paella compared with other options
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why book with us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Fast service from the pan
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
Take a look at Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
Catering an event in Chipstead
Chipstead is about 2 miles west of Sevenoaks, in Kent. Anywhere in TN13, we’ll come to your venue or garden. We cover all 922 towns and villages in Kent. We cook right across the region, from Chipstead to London (18 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Amherst School, can book us as a food stall. Historic houses near Chipstead include Knole House (2.8 miles south-east) and Quebec House (3.4 miles west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 4 miles of Chipstead, 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.
This part of Kent takes in TN13 and TN14. Your event could be at a home on High Street, Homedean Road and Chevening Road. Other places close to Chipstead for paella catering include Bessels Green (1 mile south-east), Riverhead (1 mile east), Dunton Green (1 mile north-east), Sundridge (1 mile south-west) and Chevening (1 mile north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Dartford (11 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (12 miles south-east), Gravesend (14 miles north-east), Tonbridge (8 miles south-east), Northfleet (13 miles north-east) and Swanley (8 miles north).
A little further out are Sevenoaks Museum (2.2 miles south-east) and Kemsing Castle Bank (3.8 miles north-east). The countryside around Chipstead includes Betsom's Hill and Dryhill Nature Reserve.
- Local schools include Trinity School (0.9 miles east) and Combe Bank School (1.2 miles west)
- Local pubs include The Bricklayers Arms (within half a mile west)
Questions from Chipstead
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’ll follow the site rules.
What’s the nearest station to Chipstead for guests?
The closest is Dunton Green station, roughly 1.2 miles away.
Is the paella gluten-free?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
How does live paella catering work?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Do you cater for young children?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan for them.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
- 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