Kent · England
Live paella catering in East End, Kent
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in East End.
- Retirement celebrations
- Naming days and family parties
- Engagement and anniversary parties
Planning an event in East End?
How our paella catering works in East End
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That’s exactly what we bring to your event in East End. Whether it is weddings, from canapés to evening food and community events and fairs, we can cook seafood paella, paella Valenciana and mixed paella.
In a hamlet or village like East End, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and service is quick once it’s ready.
Paella compared with other options
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Why us?
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Drinks service on request
- Live cooking, not reheated food
Towns and villages near East End
Also in East End
A closer look at the menu
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s the pan people photograph.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Confirm allergies by email
- Tell us what else is being served
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
Space, weather and the venue
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
On the menu in East End
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
Planners, venues and businesses
Hosting a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
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.
DIY paella versus live catering
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Common questions in East End
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Margaret's Church?
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 normally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook at venues in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Can you feed plenty of people?
Yes, that’s what it is made for. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, while the rice is cooking.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
How do you work out quantities?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Accurate numbers help.
Which areas do you serve?
We cater across London and the South East, including Kent. See all areas.
The process
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch as the paella takes shape. Evenings in East End stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
How to get a price
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Prices and what affects them
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- How many courses
- Parking and unloading
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many guests are eating
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What we need to know
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Expected numbers
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The date and rough timings
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, fill in our quote form.
Planning live paella in East End
East End is about 11 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. Give us the address of your event in East End, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up. We cover all 922 towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from East End to Canterbury (24 miles away).
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like St Margaret's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 4 miles of East End, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Wherever your event is in TN17, we can bring paella catering to you. Whether your event is on Wood Lane, Mockbeggar Lane and Jackson Way or a nearby road, we can cook there. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Fosten Green (1 mile north), Clapper Hill (1 mile north-east), Parkgate (1 mile east), West Cross (2 miles south) and Strood (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (13 miles north), Ashford (11 miles east), Foley Park (14 miles north), Paddock Wood (12 miles north-west), Tenterden (3 miles east) and Bearsted (13 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include Sissinghurst Castle (2.5 miles north-west) and Benenden Hospital (within half a mile south).
- 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