Kent · England
Live paella catering in Crayford, Kent
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Crayford and nearby, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Company summer parties
- Big birthdays
Planning an event in Crayford?
About our paella catering in Crayford
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. For retirement and leaving parties and anniversaries and engagement parties, we can cook chicken and chorizo paella, vegan paella and vegetable paella for your guests.
A place like Crayford often has a hall, a club or a pub garden nearby; live paella can work at any of them, given permission and outdoor space. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Paella compared with other options
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. 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.
Why us?
- Sangria and bar staff available
- We cover Crayford and the whole of Kent
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
Planning the cooking area
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
Crayford: your questions answered
What’s the nearest station to Crayford for guests?
Crayford station, in Crayford itself.
Is Crayford close to London?
About 12 miles from central London.
Can you cater for children?
Of course. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Tell us how many are coming.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, while the rice is cooking.
What does paella catering cost?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Tell us your date and numbers for a clear quote.
Which areas do you serve?
We cater across London and the South East, Kent included. Find your area.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Places near Crayford
Also in Crayford
Prices and what affects them
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Parking and unloading
- Guest numbers
- The length of service
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What we need to know
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- The date and rough timings
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Where the event is
Planning paella catering in Crayford? Send us the details and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. To get in touch, fill in our quote form.
Who books paella catering in Crayford?
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. In Crayford, people book us for events such as:
- Naming days and family parties
- Milestone birthday parties
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
For guests coming by train, Crayford has its own station, Crayford station.
What your quote should include
- What the price includes, item by item
- When final numbers are due
- Payment terms and deposit
- Travel and parking costs
Dishes our guests love
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Step by step
Here’s how the day generally runs: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and it’s served hot from the pan at the agreed time. Around midsummer it stays light in Crayford until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- 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 is served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Ask for a quote
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
Read more
Working with your venue
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will talk you through the process. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Catering for every guest
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Crayford: venues, travel and local tips
Crayford is about 2 miles west of Dartford, in Kent. Wherever your event is in the DA1 area, we will come to your venue or garden. We cater in all 922 towns and villages across Kent. You can also see our page for London, about 12 miles away.
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Wentworth Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Parks such as Braeburn Park normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
Paella catering in DA1, DA5 and DA7 is planned around your venue. From Swan Lane, Dale Road and Ross Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Other places close to Crayford for paella catering include Bowmans (1 mile south), Barnes Cray (1 mile north-east), Barnehurst (1 mile north-west), Coldblow (1 mile south-west) and Wilmington (1 mile south). Further out, we also cater in Sevenoaks (12 miles south), Gravesend (9 miles east), Northfleet (7 miles east), Swanley (4 miles south), Swanscombe (5 miles east) and Windmill Hill (8 miles east).
A little further out are West Hill Hospital (1.3 miles east) and Stone Castle (4.2 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Wansunt Pit.
- Schools near Crayford include Haberdashers' Aske's Crayford Academy (0.6 miles north-east) and St Catherine's Catholic School (1.1 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include The Bear and Ragged Staff pub (under half a mile north-west)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include Colyers (1.6 miles north)
- 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