Kent · England
Paella Catering in Hadlow
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Hadlow.
- Big birthdays
- Summer garden parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
Book paella catering in Hadlow
Paella catering in Hadlow, made fresh on the day
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. We cook paella Valenciana, black rice and vegetable paella, and we are regularly asked to cater staff parties and work lunches and garden get-togethers.
Somewhere as small as Hadlow, a garden or field is often the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Hadlow: your questions answered
Is Hadlow close to London?
Roughly 26 miles from the centre of London.
Which station should guests use for Hadlow?
Beltring station, about 3.3 miles south-east of the centre.
Does paella work for big events?
It is ideal. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
How long do you need on site?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
How many paellas should we have?
Most events have two or three: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
Can you cook indoors?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, because we use gas burners. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, rather than seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, for guests who want a bit of everything.
Occasions we cook for in Hadlow
It’s ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, with guests mingling as it cooks and then sit down to share.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Hadlow:
- Community events and fairs
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Milestone birthday parties
Nearby historic houses include Old Soar Manor (2.6 miles north) and Ightham Mote (3.6 miles north-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
What your quote should include
- Payment terms and deposit
- If the price includes VAT
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Staff numbers and hours
Towns and villages near Hadlow
What else we do in Hadlow
For event organisers in Hadlow
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Catering for every guest
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Tell us what else is being served
- Count adults and children separately
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
How the day works
Serving is fast: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. When service is finished, we pack down. In Hadlow, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up 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.
Before we arrive
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Getting a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Related guides
Is live paella right for your event?
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before you book.
Why Hadlow hosts choose us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- We cover Hadlow and the whole of Kent
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
Paella catering around Hadlow
Hadlow is about 3 miles north-east of Tonbridge, in Kent. Anywhere in TN11, we can cook for your guests. Hadlow is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. Our events stretch from Hadlow to London (about 26 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Beltring station, about 3.3 miles south-east. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Hadlow Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Here we cover the TN11 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Streets in the area include The Square, High Street and Brookfields, and we can cook for an event on any of them. If your venue is just outside Hadlow, we also cover Pittswood (1 mile west), Goose Green (1 mile north-east), Golden Green (1 mile south), Parker's Green (1 mile south-west) and Barnes Street (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (9 miles east), Sevenoaks (7 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (7 miles south-west), Gravesend (14 miles north), Tonbridge (3 miles south-west) and Northfleet (14 miles north).
A little further out are Hadlow Tower museum (less than half a mile south-east) and Tonbridge Cottage Hospital (4.3 miles south-west). The countryside around Hadlow includes Barden Lake and Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve.
- Local schools include Hadlow College (within half a mile west) and Hadlow Rural Community School (under half a mile south-west)
- Nearby, you will find The Rose & Crown pub (under half a mile north-west)
Planning the cooking area
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- 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