Kent · England
Paella Catering for Grafty Green events
Paella for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Grafty Green.
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Birthday celebrations
Live paella catering in Grafty Green
Paella catering in Grafty Green, cooked live
One cooking area feeds a lot of people, very little goes to waste, and the food arrives hot. It’s why live paella suits so many kinds of event. We are frequently asked to cater company summer parties and festivals, fairs and school events, serving vegan paella, paella Valenciana and seafood paella.
In a hamlet or village like Grafty Green, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
Working with your venue
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Occasions we cook for in Grafty Green
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Historic houses near Grafty Green include Leeds Castle (3.5 miles north-west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
Before booking anyone
- Staff numbers and hours
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- The deadline for final numbers
- Payment terms and deposit
Diets, allergies and planning
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Count adults and children separately
- Tell us what else is being served
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Put allergy details in writing
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
Live paella or other catering?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before booking.
Why Grafty Green hosts choose us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Read How we price Or What paella catering costs.
Grafty Green: your questions answered
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Nicholas: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is paella enough as a main?
Yes. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main.
How much space do you need?
Less than you might think: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. Send us a photo if you’re not sure.
How far ahead should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so contact us early.
Which paella is most popular?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
How long does the paella take?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Towns and villages near Grafty Green
What else we do in Grafty Green
What happens on the day
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first while the paella cooks. Evenings in Grafty Green stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- 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.
Preparing for the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Get a quote
Planning paella catering in Grafty Green? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To get in touch, use our quote form.
Related guides
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. 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 keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Grafty Green: venues, travel and local tips
Grafty Green is about 8 miles south-east of Maidstone, in Kent. Whether your event is in the middle of Grafty Green or on the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Grafty Green is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 18 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Platts Heath Primary School, can book us as a food stall. For guests coming by train, Lenham station is about 2.1 miles away. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Grafty Green. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Paella catering in ME17 is planned around your venue and timings. Local streets include Church Road, Woodcock Lane and Headcorn Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Liverton Street (1 mile north), Boughton Malherbe (1 mile north-east), Broadstone (1 mile south-west), Eastwood (1 mile west) and Platt's Heath (1 mile north). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (8 miles north-west), Ashford (9 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (10 miles north), Faversham (12 miles north-east), Minster (15 miles north) and Kings Hill (13 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include The Dog Collar Museum (3.4 miles north-west) and Coldbridge Castle (1 mile south-east).
- Local schools include The Lenham School (2.4 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Kings Head Public House (under half a mile north)
How we price paella catering
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- How long we’re needed on site
- Guest numbers
- How many courses
- Waiting and bar staff
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Details that help
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- The venue or postcode
- Which courses you have in mind
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The date and rough timings
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
- 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