Kent · England
Paella Catering for Folkestone events
Paella for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Folkestone.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Milestone birthday parties
Book paella catering in Folkestone
What happens on the day
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. Planning an evening event in Folkestone? Sunset is around 8:45pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; 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.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
How to prepare
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Ask for a quote
Send us the date, your venue or CT20 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Paella catering in Folkestone, cooked live
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. For christenings and family gatherings and retirement and leaving parties, we can cook mixed paella, chicken and chorizo paella and black rice and more.
There are lots of options in a town like Folkestone: a garden, a club, a hall or a hired venue. We will check the cooking spot with you before the day. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
Should I cook it myself?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Larger events normally cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why choose Love Paella in Folkestone
- Events in Folkestone and across Kent
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Sangria and bar staff available
Take a look at Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
Why choose paella catering in Folkestone?
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Folkestone and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Garden get-togethers
- Christenings and family gatherings
Parks such as Lower Leas Coastal Park normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
What your quote should include
- How each diet is kept separate
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- What the price includes, item by item
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
FAQs for Folkestone
Could we have live paella in Lower Leas Coastal Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
What about events near the coast?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Do you cover Folkestone?
We do. Folkestone is one of the places we cover. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
Are premium seafood options available?
We will suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we can plan it carefully.
How many different paellas?
Generally two or three, so every guest has a choice. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Can paella be the only main course?
It can be. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course.
Live paella in Folkestone: local details
Folkestone is in Kent. Tell us where your event in Folkestone will be, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. Folkestone is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 14 miles away.
Historic houses near Folkestone include Acrise Place (3.9 miles north). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. For a christening or wedding at a church such as United Reformed Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Folkestone is within about 6 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours. Folkestone is within about a mile of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
For paella catering in CT20, CT19 and CT21, we plan around your venue. That could mean an event in a garden on Christ Church Road, Middelburg Square and Station Road. Folkestone is on the A259 and A260, so it’s easy for us to reach with the van and pans. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Cheriton (1 mile west), Sandgate (1 mile south-west), Hawkinge (2 miles north), Arpinge (2 miles north-west) and Seabrook (2 miles west). Further out, we also cater in Ashford (14 miles west), Canterbury (14 miles north), Dover (7 miles north-east), Deal (13 miles north-east), Hythe (4 miles west) and Tower Hamlets (7 miles north-east). Folkestone is one of the larger places we cover in Kent, with plenty of venues for events.
Nearby you’ll also find Folkestone Museum (0.7 miles south-east) and Folkestone Castle (1 mile north). Open spaces near Folkestone include Sugar Loaf Hill.
- Nearby schools include The Harvey Grammar School (less than half a mile west) and The Folkestone Academy (0.5 miles north)
- Pubs nearby include The Park Inn Hotel (within half a mile south-east)
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a paella that stands on its own. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
For planners, venues and organisers
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Events in public spaces, like parks, generally need permission. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Prices and what affects them
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How long we’re needed on site
- Guest numbers
- Your choice of paellas
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Getting an accurate quote
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The date and time of the event
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Catering for every guest
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Tell us what else is being served
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If timings shift, we adapt.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal, or serve your own cake.
More for events in Folkestone
- 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