Kent · England
Live paella catering in Fordcombe, Kent
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Fordcombe. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Birthday celebrations
Live paella catering in Fordcombe
Paella catering for your event in Fordcombe
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. For birthday celebrations and retirement celebrations, we’ll put together a menu of black rice, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella for your guests.
For a rural spot like Fordcombe, the countryside is part of the appeal: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
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. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Why choose Love Paella in Fordcombe
- Drinks service on request
- Events in Fordcombe and across Kent
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Real theatre, not just catering
Take a look at Our prices page And The cost guide.
Diets, allergies and planning
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Confirm allergies by email
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, which is when we generally call guests over.
Sangria and bar staff can be added for your own drinks.
Planning live paella in Fordcombe
Fordcombe is about 4 miles west of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. From the centre of Fordcombe to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cook in all 922 towns and villages in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 25 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Ashurst Kent station, about 1.4 miles south-west. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Peter, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Fordcombe is within about 7 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
This part of Kent takes in TN3. Your event could be at a home on Spring Hill, St Peters Row and Chafford Lane or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Fordcombe, we also cover Walter's Green (1 mile north-west), Stone Cross (1 mile south), Ashurst (1 mile south-west), Teasley Mead (1 mile west) and Penshurst (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Sevenoaks (10 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (4 miles east), Tonbridge (6 miles north-east), Kings Hill (13 miles north-east), Paddock Wood (10 miles east) and Southborough (4 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Bolebroke Castle (3.4 miles south-west) and Kent and Sussex Hospital (3.6 miles east). Not far away are Broadwater Warren RSPB Reserve and Barden Lake.
- Nearby, you will find Chafford Arms (less than half a mile east)
Step by step
When the rice goes in, it is left alone. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell generally draws people over. Around midsummer it stays light in Fordcombe until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Plan cover in case of rain
How to get a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
Read more
What’s in the pans
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It is the pan people photograph.
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It is frequently the most popular pan at an event.
Fordcombe questions
Is Fordcombe too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Is Fordcombe close to London?
About 27 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you cater in Fordcombe?
We do. We cook at events in Fordcombe and across Kent. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
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 take the right care.
Are premium seafood options available?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu, including premium options if you want them.
Do you cook inside?
Usually we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, since the burners are gas. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Can you serve drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
When do you arrive?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you.
Nearby places to Fordcombe
Other catering in Fordcombe
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
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.
Working with your venue
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
What paella catering costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- How long we’re needed on site
- Waiting and bar staff
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Details that help
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and time of the event
- Roughly how many adults and children
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Why choose paella catering in Fordcombe?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Fordcombe and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Naming days and family parties
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Fordcombe Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Comparing caterers
- How each diet is kept separate
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- The deposit and payment dates
- Whether travel is included
- 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