Medway · England
Live paella catering in Grain, Medway
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Grain. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Company summer parties
- Engagement and anniversary parties
Live paella catering in Grain
Paella catering in Grain, made fresh on the day
One cooking area feeds a lot of people, very little goes to waste, and the food arrives hot. That is why it works for so many events. We’re often asked to cater retirement and leaving parties and weddings and evening receptions, serving black rice, seafood paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
For a rural spot like Grain, the countryside is part of the appeal: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Tell us about access and the ground. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Planning live paella in Grain
Grain is about 5 miles north-west of Minster, in Medway. Give us the address of your event in Grain, and we will plan access and set-up. Grain is one of 68 towns and villages in Medway we cover. We cook right across the region, from Grain to Canterbury (about 20 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Sheerness-On-Sea station is about 2.1 miles away. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St James, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Anywhere in ME3, we can cook for your guests. That could mean an event in a garden on High Street, Power Station Road and Chapel Road or the roads around them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Wallend (1 mile west), Blue Town (2 miles south-east), Sheerness (2 miles south-east), Queenborough (3 miles south-east) and Rushenden (3 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Gillingham (8 miles south-west), Chatham (10 miles south-west), Rochester (10 miles south-west), Rainham (8 miles south-west), Strood (11 miles south-west) and Luton (10 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Bluetown Heritage Centre (1.8 miles south-east).
- Pubs nearby include The Hogarth Inn (under half a mile north-west)
Can I cook paella for a crowd 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.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Put allergy details in writing
- Mention any other courses or food
- Count adults and children separately
- Ask for labels on each pan
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal, or serve your own cake.
Your questions about paella catering in Grain
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St James?
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.
What’s the nearest station to Grain for guests?
Sheerness-On-Sea station, about 2.1 miles south-east of the centre.
Where do you cater?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Grain.
How far ahead should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it is short notice, it is worth asking.
Can you cook halal paella?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and we will cook a separate pan.
Do we need to provide equipment?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You provide a suitable spot and access.
Can you cater for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
How long does the paella take?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
What happens on the day
On the day, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. Planning an evening event in Grain? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
How to prepare
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Leave space around the cooking area
Get a quote
Send us the date, your venue or ME3 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just fill in our quote form.
Related guides
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
For event organisers in Grain
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
What else we do in Grain
How we price paella catering
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- How long we’re needed on site
- How many courses
- Parking and unloading
- Whether you need crockery
There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Getting an accurate quote
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- The venue or postcode
- The courses you’d like
- The date and time of the event
- What the venue already provides
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, use our quote form.
Perfect for your event in Grain
People book live paella because it’s food and entertainment at once. The pans become a focal point, and the food is hot and generous.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Birthday celebrations
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Garden get-togethers
- Naming days and family parties
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as St James Church of England Primary Academy, can book us as a food stall.
What your quote should include
- Payment terms and deposit
- If the price includes VAT
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- A clear list of what’s 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