Kent · England
Paella Catering in Dover
Love Paella cooks live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Dover and Kent, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
Book paella catering in Dover
How we price paella catering
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Starters, canapés and desserts
Larger events generally cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Getting an accurate quote
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- The address or venue name
- What the venue already provides
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
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, send us your details through our quote form.
Paella catering in Dover, made fresh on the day
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. Popular choices include black rice, paella Valenciana and chicken and chorizo paella, and typical bookings are for birthday celebrations and family celebrations and christenings.
Most events in a town like Dover are in gardens, halls with outdoor space or hired venues. Each works well, provided we can park nearby and cook on level ground. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
Also near Dover
Also in Dover
Why choose paella catering in Dover?
People book live paella because it’s food and entertainment at once. The pans become a focal point, and the food is hot and generous.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Dover, people book us for events such as:
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Garden get-togethers
- Company summer parties
- Naming days and family parties
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Shatterlocks Infant School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Comparing caterers
- Whether travel is included
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- The venue requirements
- How long the team stays
Live paella in Dover: local details
Dover is in Kent. From the centre of Dover to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cover 922 places in Kent. Our events stretch from Dover to Canterbury (14 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Dover Priory station, about 0.9 miles south. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Parish Church of St Andrew Buckland, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Dover is within about 2 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Paella catering in CT17, CT16, CT15 and CT14 is planned around your venue and your guests. Local streets include London Road, High Street and Church Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Being close to the A2 and A20, Dover is simple for us to get to. For events just outside Dover, we cover River (1 mile north-west), Maxton (1 mile south), Kearsney (1 mile north-west), Whitfield (1 mile north) and Temple Ewell (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cater in Canterbury (14 miles north-west), Folkestone (7 miles south-west), Ramsgate (15 miles north), Deal (7 miles north-east), Hythe (11 miles south-west) and Walmer (6 miles north-east). Dover is among the bigger towns we cover in Kent, with plenty of venues for events.
A little further out are Dover Castle (1.3 miles south-east) and Crabble Corn Mill (0.7 miles west). Not far away are Dover Western Heights.
- Schools near Dover include St Edmund's Catholic School (within half a mile south-east) and St Edmund's Catholic School (within half a mile south-east)
- Nearby, you will find The Bull pub (less than half a mile south-west)
Space, weather and the venue
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but a few things matter:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
On the menu in Dover
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Live paella or other catering?
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Why us?
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- A clear, itemised quote
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Live cooking, not reheated food
For event organisers in Dover
Organising a club, school or community event in Dover? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
How the day works
A typical event goes like this: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and it’s served hot from the pan when you’re ready to eat. Around midsummer it stays light in Dover until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening events are usually served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Send us 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.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
How to get a price
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
Planning help
Questions from Dover
We are having a ceremony at Parish Church of St Andrew Buckland: 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 generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is Dover close to London?
About 65 miles from central London, and well within our area.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. Send us a photo if you’re not sure.
How do you work out quantities?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Yes. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Do you cater in Dover?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including Dover. For a quote, use our quote form.
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Count adults and children separately
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
Paella is best eaten as soon as it is ready, so we serve when guests are ready.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
A closer look at the menu
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own 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