Kent · England
Paella Catering in Great Chart
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Great Chart. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Big birthdays
- Staff parties and work lunches
Paella catering near Great Chart
Paella catering for your event in Great Chart
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the aroma does the rest. Typical bookings include anniversaries and engagement parties and office lunches and staff parties, serving vegetable paella, vegan paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
Somewhere as small as Great Chart, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
Questions from Great Chart
Do you come out to small places like Great Chart?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Could we have live paella in Ashford Community Woodland?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
We can. Let us know what you have, and we will quote for the rest.
How much does paella catering cost in Great Chart?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Tell us your date and numbers for a clear quote.
Do you come to Great Chart?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and Great Chart is within our area and the rest of Kent. To check your date, use our quote form.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is normally popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
When do you arrive?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
It’s ideal. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
Why choose paella catering in Great Chart?
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Great Chart, people book us for occasions like:
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Community events and fairs
- Big birthdays
- Leaving dos and retirements
Parks such as Ashford Community Woodland typically need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
What to look for in a quote
- What happens if it rains
- How long the team stays
- Travel and parking costs
- When payment is due
Should I cook it myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
The process
Serving is fast: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so large groups are fed quickly. When service is finished, we pack down. Around midsummer it stays light in Great Chart until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening events are usually served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
Ask for a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It’s a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Planning the cooking area
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
On the menu in Great Chart
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
For event organisers in Great Chart
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Towns and villages near Great Chart
Also in Great Chart
Planning live paella in Great Chart
Great Chart is about 1 mile west of Ashford, in Kent. Anywhere in TN23, we’ll come to your venue or garden. Great Chart is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our events stretch from Great Chart to Canterbury (about 14 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Great Chart Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Great Chart. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cook at events all over TN23 and the streets around it. Local streets include The Street, Toke Close and The Paddocks; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. For events just outside Great Chart, we cover Godinton (1 mile north-east), Chilmington Green (1 mile south-west), Stanhope (1 mile south-east), Ashford (1 mile east) and Fleeden (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (14 miles north-east), Sittingbourne (14 miles north), Folkestone (15 miles east), Faversham (12 miles north), Hythe (12 miles south-east) and Davington (12 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include County Square (1.6 miles east) and William Harvey Hospital (3.5 miles east). Not far away are Orlestone Forest.
- Nearby schools include John Wallis Academy (1.5 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Little Black Dog pub (less than half a mile north-west)
Live paella or other catering?
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, so everyone can eat at the same time. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Why us?
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- A quote that spells everything out
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Events in Great Chart and across Kent
See How we price And The cost guide.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Put allergy details in writing
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Mention any other courses or food
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
- 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