Medway · England
Paella Catering in Cooling
Love Paella cooks live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Cooling and Medway, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Birthday celebrations
- Summer garden parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
Book paella catering in Cooling
Paella catering for your event in Cooling
Watching it cook is part of the experience. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the aroma does the rest. We’re often asked to cater fairs, fêtes and festivals and garden parties and summer barbecues, serving seafood paella, vegetable paella and mixed paella.
In a rural place like Cooling, the setting does a lot of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Paella compared with other options
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, so everyone can eat at the same time. Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why us?
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Read Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
Catering an event in Cooling
Cooling is about 5 miles north of Rochester, in Medway. From the centre of Cooling to the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Cooling is one of 68 places in Medway we cover. Our events stretch from Cooling to London (about 27 miles away).
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like St James' Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Higham station, about 3.3 miles south-west.
This part of Medway takes in ME3, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Local streets include Main Road and Cooling Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Cooling Street (1 mile south-west), High Halstow (2 miles east), Sharnal Street (2 miles south-east), Fenn Street (2 miles east) and Chattenden (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Gillingham (6 miles south), Chatham (7 miles south), Rochester (5 miles south), Rainham (7 miles south-east), Strood (5 miles south-west) and Luton (6 miles south).
A little further out are Upnor Castle (3.4 miles south) and French Hospital (4.8 miles south). Open spaces near Cooling include Canvey Wick and Gad's Hill.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Cooling: your questions answered
Do you come out to small places like Cooling?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
We are having a ceremony at St James' Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Which paella is most popular?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
When should we book?
The sooner the better. Peak dates go quickly, so it pays to ask early.
What about pudding?
Yes. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices, or you can serve your own cake.
How does live paella catering work?
We set up a cooking area at your venue, cook the paella from scratch in large pans while your guests watch, and serve it straight from the pan.
What happens if it rains?
We cook under cover, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
What affects the price in Cooling
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Waiting and bar staff
- The paellas you choose
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- How long we’re needed on site
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
What to tell us
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Which courses you have in mind
- The date and time of the event
- A picture of where we’d cook
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Cooling? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To get in touch, fill in our quote form.
Events we cater in Cooling
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Cooling and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Summer garden parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Naming days and family parties
Nearby historic houses include Restoration House (4.9 miles south) and Temple Manor (4.9 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
What to look for in a quote
- What the price includes, item by item
- How bad weather is handled
- VAT, if it applies
- What the caterer needs from your venue
Towns and villages near Cooling
What else we do in Cooling
For event organisers in Cooling
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Hosting a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
What we need at the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
What happens on the day
We work to your timings. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is served at its best. Around midsummer it stays light in Cooling until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, tell us about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
Ask for a quote
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
- 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