Kent · England
Paella Catering for Dartford events
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Dartford and the surrounding area.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
Planning an event in Dartford?
Paella catering in Dartford, cooked live
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field. We’re often asked to cater wedding breakfasts and evening food and community events and fairs, with chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and vegan paella.
There are lots of options in a town like Dartford: a garden, a club, a hall or a hired venue. We’ll check the cooking spot with you before the day. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Should I cook it myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Who books paella catering in Dartford?
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Naming days and family parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Staff parties and work lunches
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Dartford Primary Academy, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Questions to ask before booking
- Travel and parking costs
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- How bad weather is handled
- The deposit and payment dates
Is live paella right for your event?
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why book with us
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Sangria and bar staff available
- No hidden extras in your quote
Read How we price Or The cost guide.
Nearby places to Dartford
More for events in Dartford
Dietary needs and planning tips
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Confirm allergies by email
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Sangria and bar staff can be added for your own drinks.
Common questions in Dartford
Can you cook in Central Park?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Can you cook at venues in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
How soon do we need to book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so contact us early.
What happens if it rains?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Do you do vegan paella?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
Can you do sangria?
Yes, sangria. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is normally popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
How the day works
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first as the rice is cooking. Around midsummer it stays light in Dartford until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Before we arrive
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Let us know the timings for the day
Get a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Planning help
What’s in the pans
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is normally served with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
Dartford: venues, travel and local tips
Dartford is about 14 miles east of London, in Kent. Give us the address of your event in Dartford, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. We cover 922 places in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Dartford to London (about 14 miles away).
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of the Holy Trinity, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Parks such as Central Park generally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Dartford, 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.
For paella catering in DA1, DA2, DA5 and DA13, we plan around your venue and your guests. That could mean an event in a garden on High Street, Market Street and Temple Hill Square. Dartford sits on or near the A2 and A206, which makes travel to your event easy. Other places close to Dartford for paella catering include Temple Hill (1 mile north), Hawley (1 mile south), Stone (2 miles east), Clement Street (2 miles south) and Darenth (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Sevenoaks (11 miles south), Gravesend (7 miles east), Northfleet (5 miles east), Swanley (4 miles south-west), Kings Hill (14 miles south-east) and Swanscombe (3 miles east). Dartford is among the bigger towns we cover in Kent, with plenty of venues for events.
Nearby you will also find West Hill Hospital (0.6 miles west) and Stone Castle (2.3 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Wansunt Pit and Sawyers Lake.
- Nearby schools include Leigh Academy (0.7 miles south-east) and Stone Lodge School (1.1 miles east)
- Local pubs include The Rose pub (within half a mile north-west)
- Other local spots include Colyers (2.9 miles north-west)
Organising for someone else?
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
- 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