Kent · England
Live paella catering in Fordwich, Kent
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Fordwich and Kent, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Book paella catering in Fordwich
Paella catering for your event in Fordwich
A couple of different pans covers everyone: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. Typical bookings include community events and fairs and leaving dos and retirements, serving vegetable paella, seafood paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
In a rural place like Fordwich, the setting does a lot of the work: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
For planners, venues and organisers
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Also in Fordwich
What happens on the day
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Around midsummer it stays light in Fordwich until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Getting 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, send us your details through our quote form.
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Events we cater in Fordwich
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, thanks to separate pans for each version. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
For guests coming by train, Fordwich has its own station, Sturry station.
Comparing caterers
- Who provides the crockery
- How late numbers can change
- Whether VAT is included
- How each diet is kept separate
Planning live paella in Fordwich
Fordwich is about 2 miles north-east of Canterbury, in Kent. We cook at events in gardens, halls and venues around Fordwich and nearby villages. We cook in all 922 towns and villages across Kent.
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Sturry Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Parks such as Chequer's Wood and Old Park normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Fordwich is within about 6 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
We cater events across the CT2 postcode area. Whether your event is on Brooklands Close, Water Meadows and King Street or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. If your venue is just outside Fordwich, we also cover Littlebourne (2 miles south-east), Bekesbourne Hill (2 miles south), Wickhambreaux (3 miles east), Ickham (3 miles south-east) and Patrixbourne (3 miles south). Larger places within reach include Margate (13 miles north-east), Dover (13 miles south-east), Folkestone (15 miles south), Ramsgate (13 miles east), Broadstairs (14 miles east) and Whitstable (6 miles north-west).
A little further out are Whitefriars Shopping Centre (2.4 miles south-west) and St Martins Hospital (1.5 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
- Nearby schools include Spires Academy (1.4 miles north-east) and Frank Montgomery School (1.4 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find Fordwich Arms (within half a mile south-east)
Paella compared with other options
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, because each paella has its own pan. It is served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why Fordwich hosts choose us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Events in Fordwich and across Kent
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It is normally the most photographed pan.
Before you choose a spot
We will be honest if a space will not work, and suggest an alternative. The main points are:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think.
What we offer
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Diets, allergies and planning
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Confirm allergies by email
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Fordwich questions
What’s the nearest station to Fordwich for guests?
Fordwich has its own station: Sturry station.
What about events near the coast?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Can we choose the seafood?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu.
When should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so contact us early.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
What happens with live paella?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook while everyone watches, and serve at the time you want.
What about pudding?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind when you ask for a quote.
Do you bring everything you need?
Pans, burners and ingredients all come with us. You just need a suitable spot and access.
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.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
- 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