Kent · England
Paella Catering in Hareplain
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Hareplain.
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Milestone birthday parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
Paella catering in Hareplain
Organising for someone else?
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Events in public spaces, like parks, typically need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
How our paella catering works in Hareplain
Keep it simple, or go all out: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We will suggest what suits your event. We cook paella Valenciana, black rice and vegan paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater naming days and family parties and anniversaries and engagement parties.
Somewhere like Hareplain, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
Places near Hareplain
Also in Hareplain
Your questions about paella catering in Hareplain
Is Hareplain too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Which station should guests use for Hareplain?
The closest is Headcorn station, roughly 2.8 miles away.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Can we choose the seafood?
We will suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, on request. Proper crockery or quality disposables are available.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
About the dishes
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
What paella catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Guest numbers
- Waiting and bar staff
- The length of service
- The paellas you choose
Larger events generally cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
What we need to know
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Where the event is
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
What happens on the day
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. In Hareplain, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
Getting a price
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. To start, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Is live paella right for your event?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked live and served hot. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why us?
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- We cover Hareplain and the whole of Kent
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Hareplain: venues, travel and local tips
Hareplain is about 10 miles south of Maidstone, in Kent. We cater events at homes, gardens and venues in Hareplain and the surrounding area. Hareplain is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our events stretch from Hareplain to Canterbury (23 miles away).
Hareplain is within about 5 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cater events across the TN27 postcode area. For events just outside Hareplain, we cover Three Chimneys (1 mile south-west), Biddenden (1 mile south-east), Curteis' Corner (1 mile east), Lashenden (2 miles north-east) and Standen (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (10 miles north), Ashford (11 miles east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (15 miles west), Tonbridge (15 miles west), Kings Hill (14 miles north-west) and Foley Park (11 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Kent Firefighting Museum (0.8 miles north) and Sissinghurst Castle (1.7 miles south-west).
- Local pubs include Three Chimneys Public House (0.6 miles south-west)
Who books paella catering in Hareplain?
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, thanks to separate pans for each version. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Hareplain and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
For guests coming by train, Headcorn station is about 2.8 miles away.
Questions to ask before booking
- How each diet is kept separate
- The deposit and payment dates
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Any travel, parking or access charges
Planning the cooking area
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
On the menu in Hareplain
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- 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