Kent · England
Paella Catering in Congelow
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Congelow: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Company summer parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Community events and fairs
Paella catering near Congelow
Paella catering in Congelow, cooked live
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That’s what we bring to events in Congelow. Popular choices include vegetable paella, vegan paella and paella Valenciana, and we are regularly asked to cater garden parties and summer barbecues and festivals, fairs and school events.
In a rural place like Congelow, the setting does plenty of the work: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Tell us about access and the ground. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
Congelow: venues, travel and local tips
Congelow is about 5 miles south-west of Maidstone, in Kent. We cater events at gardens, halls and venues around Congelow and nearby villages. We cover all 922 towns and villages across Kent. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 28 miles away.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Peter's and St Paul's Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
We cater events across ME18. If your venue is just outside Congelow, we also cover Benover (1 mile south-east), Yalding (1 mile north), Laddingford (1 mile south-west), Hunton (1 mile east) and Nettlestead Green (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (5 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (11 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (9 miles south-west), Gravesend (15 miles north), Tonbridge (7 miles west) and Northfleet (15 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include Teapot Island (0.6 miles north-west) and Oakwood Hospital (4.3 miles north-east).
- Local pubs include The Bull Public House (0.5 miles north)
Where we can cook in Congelow
We’ll be honest if a space will not work, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Popular choices
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
How we price paella catering
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Whether you need crockery
- How many guests are eating
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We’ll send you a quote.
What we need to know
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- The date and time of the event
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- The courses you’d like
- Roughly how many adults and children
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we will suggest a menu. To start, fill in our quote form.
Questions from Congelow
We are having a ceremony at St Peter's and St Paul's Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you come out to small places like Congelow?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
When should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Congelow.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices, or you can serve your own cake.
Is live paella right for your event?
For something a little different, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why us?
- Sangria and bar staff available
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Served hot, straight from the pan
Read Our prices page Or The cost guide.
What happens on the day
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 Congelow? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
How to get a price
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Congelow, and we will put together a menu and price.
Related guides
Also near Congelow
What else we do in Congelow
Occasions we cook for in Congelow
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Congelow book us for events such as:
- Birthday celebrations
- Community events and fairs
- Anniversary celebrations
- Garden get-togethers
For guests coming by train, Yalding station is about 1 mile away.
What your quote should include
- Allergen information for each dish
- Travel and parking costs
- Who provides the crockery
- How long the team stays
Organising for someone else?
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Confirm allergies by email
- Let us know about other food at the event
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we serve when guests are ready.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
- 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