Kent · England
Live paella catering in Fleeden, Kent
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Fleeden and the surrounding area.
- Company summer parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
Paella catering near Fleeden
Paella catering for your event in Fleeden
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. We are often asked to cater festivals, fairs and school events and engagement and anniversary parties, with black rice, mixed paella and vegetable paella.
Somewhere as small as Fleeden, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Working with your venue
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, for guests who want a bit of everything.
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is usually served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Fleeden: venues, travel and local tips
Fleeden is about 3 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. For paella catering in Fleeden, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Fleeden is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. Our events stretch from Fleeden to Canterbury (16 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Pluckley station, about 2.8 miles north-west. Historic houses near Fleeden include Godinton House (2.2 miles north-east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. Fleeden is within about 7 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cook at events all over TN26 and the streets around it. Other places close to Fleeden for paella catering include Daniel's Water (1 mile north), Chilmington Green (1 mile east), Great Chart (1 mile north-east), Shadoxhurst (2 miles south) and Stanhope (2 miles east). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (15 miles north-west), Ashford (3 miles east), Sittingbourne (15 miles north), Faversham (13 miles north), Hythe (13 miles east) and Davington (13 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include County Square (3.1 miles east) and William Harvey Hospital (4.9 miles east). Open spaces near Fleeden include Orlestone Forest.
What paella catering costs
These are the factors that matter most:
- Timings and hours
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Distance and access to the venue
- Your choice of paellas
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What to tell us
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- The venue or postcode
- Which courses you have in mind
- What the venue already provides
- Any dietary needs and allergies
Planning paella catering in Fleeden? Send us the details and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
The process
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. In Fleeden, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Give us a contact for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
Get a quote
It’s easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Planning help
Fleeden: your questions answered
Can you cook at venues in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll follow the site rules.
How far is Fleeden from London?
About 46 miles from central London.
How much paella per person?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Which paellas suit our guests?
Most events choose two or three: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. See the sample menu.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Is paella a full meal?
Yes. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we will quote for the rest.
How soon do we need to book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
Planning for every diet
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Put allergy details in writing
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Let us know about other food at the event
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, which is when we usually call guests over.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
What else we do in Fleeden
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, because each paella has its own pan. It is served quickly from the pan, so queues move. The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why book with us
- We cover Fleeden and the whole of Kent
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- No hidden extras in your quote
Read How we price Or The cost guide.
Planning the cooking area
If a space is not suitable, we will tell you, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
What we offer
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo 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