Kent · England
Live paella catering in Frinsted, Kent
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 Frinsted.
- Birthday celebrations
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement celebrations
Paella catering near Frinsted
Paella catering in Frinsted, made fresh on the day
There is something generous about paella: big pans, bright colours and a crispy base everyone wants a spoonful of. It makes the food an event in itself. Popular choices include chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and seafood paella, and typical bookings are for weddings and evening receptions and family celebrations and christenings.
For a rural spot like Frinsted, the countryside is part of the appeal: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
Should I cook it myself?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. 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’ll do the cooking.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Perfect for your event in Frinsted
Live paella is food and a show in one. The pans become a focal point, and the food is hot and generous.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Summer garden parties
- Big birthdays
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Community events and fairs
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Milstead and Frinsted Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Questions to ask before booking
- The deadline for final numbers
- Whether VAT is included
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Any travel, parking or access charges
Catering for every guest
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Tell us what else is being served
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Common questions in Frinsted
Is Frinsted close to London?
About 37 miles from central London.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Giles?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you feed plenty of people?
Yes, that is what it’s made for. We size pans and serving points to your guest list.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three is usual: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We’ll help you decide the split.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
What seafood can we have?
Tell us your preferences and we’ll suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We will agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you so the paella is ready when you want it.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Children are welcome. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
Planning the cooking area
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space when you get in touch. In general, we need:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
Menu ideas
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why us?
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- We cover Frinsted and the whole of Kent
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Served hot, straight from the pan
Read Our prices page And The cost guide.
What’s in the pans
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
How it works
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it is served hot from the pan when you’re ready to eat. In Frinsted, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Get a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Prices and what affects them
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Parking and unloading
- Your choice of paellas
- Whether you need crockery
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What we need to know
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- The venue or postcode
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Towns and villages near Frinsted
Other catering in Frinsted
Planning live paella in Frinsted
Frinsted is about 4 miles south of Sittingbourne, in Kent. Give us the address of your event in Frinsted, and we will plan the journey and set-up. We cook in all 922 towns and villages in Kent. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 16 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Harrietsham station, about 3 miles south-west. Nearby historic houses include Leeds Castle (4 miles south-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 4 miles of Frinsted, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the ME9 postcode area. We can cater an event on streets such as The Street, Bottom Pond Road and Dray's Field or the roads around them. For events just outside Frinsted, we cover Milstead (1 mile north-east), Hollybushes (2 miles east), Bluetown (2 miles east), Wichling (2 miles east) and West Street (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (8 miles west), Ashford (12 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (4 miles north), Whitstable (15 miles east), Faversham (8 miles east) and Minster (10 miles north-east).
Nearby you will also find Leeds Castle (4 miles south-west) and Laundry Museum (3.8 miles south-west).
- Pubs nearby include The Blacksmith's Arms Public House (0.5 miles west)
- 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