Kent · England
Paella Catering for Detling events
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Detling. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Summer garden parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
Live paella catering in Detling
What affects the price in Detling
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, because of:
- Whether you need crockery
- The length of service
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Parking and unloading
The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Details that help
To speed things up, tell us:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The courses you’d like
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- What the venue already provides
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. To start, fill in our quote form.
How our paella catering works in Detling
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. Once it is ready, we serve it hot from the pan. We cook mixed paella, vegan paella and seafood paella, and typical bookings are for milestone birthday parties and staff parties and work lunches.
In a hamlet or village like Detling, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. You’ll know exactly what’s included before booking: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
Places near Detling
What else we do in Detling
How it works
Serving is fast: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. When service is finished, we pack down. In Detling, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, 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.
- 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.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Give us a contact for the day
Ask for a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Detling, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Related guides
Live paella in Detling: local details
Detling is about 3 miles north-east of Maidstone, in Kent. Tell us where your event in Detling will be, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. Detling is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our events stretch from Detling to Canterbury (about 22 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Stoneacre (3 miles south) and Leeds Castle (4.1 miles south-east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. For guests coming by train, Bearsted station is about 1.4 miles away. Detling is within about 4 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
For paella catering in ME14, we plan around your venue. That could mean an event in a garden on The Street, Princes Way and Queens Way or the roads around them. Close by, we cover events in Thurnham (1 mile south-east), Grove Green (1 mile south-west), Harbourland (1 mile west), Weavering (2 miles south) and Bearsted (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (3 miles south-west), Sittingbourne (8 miles north-east), Gravesend (12 miles north-west), Tonbridge (14 miles south-west), Faversham (14 miles east) and Northfleet (14 miles north-west).
Nearby you will also find KIMS hospital (0.8 miles south-west) and The Mall Maidstone (2.4 miles south-west). Not far away are Burham Down and Detling Hill.
- Nearby, you’ll find The Cock Horse pub (under half a mile north)
DIY paella versus live catering
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.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Events we cater in Detling
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Detling book us for events such as:
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Summer garden parties
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Valley Park School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Questions to ask before booking
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- What the price includes, item by item
- Space, access and power needs
- Who provides the crockery
Paella compared with other options
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and it’s entertaining too. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
Why book with us
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- We cover Detling and the whole of Kent
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
See How we price And The cost guide.
A closer look at the menu
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, for guests who want a bit of everything.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
Detling: your questions answered
What’s the nearest station to Detling for guests?
Bearsted station, about 1.4 miles south of the centre.
We are having a ceremony at St Martin of Tours Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, while the rice is cooking.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain doesn’t stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
How much does paella catering cost in Detling?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Tell us your date and numbers and we will reply with a price.
How does live paella catering work?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve at the time you want.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You just need a suitable spot and access.
Can you feed a lot of people?
It’s ideal. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
Diets, allergies and planning
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Confirm allergies by email
- Mention any other courses or food
- Count adults and children separately
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Before you choose a spot
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
What we offer
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- 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