Kent · England
Live paella catering in Hawkenbury, Kent
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Hawkenbury: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Book paella catering in Hawkenbury
Paella catering for your event in Hawkenbury
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields in and around Hawkenbury. Popular choices include seafood paella, paella Valenciana and mixed paella, and typical bookings are for community events and fairs and retirement celebrations.
There may be a hall or club near Hawkenbury if your garden is small; live paella can work at any of them, given permission and outdoor space. We serve straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
Planning live paella in Hawkenbury
Hawkenbury is about 1 mile south-east of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. For an event in Hawkenbury, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Hawkenbury. Hawkenbury is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. Our events stretch from Hawkenbury to Brighton (27 miles away).
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St Peter's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Claremont Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Hawkenbury is within about 5 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Wherever your event is in TN2 and TN1, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Whether your event is on Forest Road, Nelson Road and Dorset Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Royal Tunbridge Wells (1 mile north-west), Broadwater Down (1 mile west), Bells Yew Green (2 miles south-east), High Brooms (2 miles north) and Rusthall (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (15 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (12 miles north), Tonbridge (5 miles north), Kings Hill (12 miles north-east), Paddock Wood (6 miles north-east) and Park Wood (14 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Tunbridge Wells Homeopathic Hospital (1 mile north-west) and The Amelia (1 mile north-west). Not far away are Broadwater Warren RSPB Reserve.
- Nearby schools include Skinners' Kent Academy (1.3 miles north-east) and The Skinners’ Kent Academy (1.4 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Hawkenbury pub (less than half a mile south-west)
Towns and villages near Hawkenbury
What else we do in Hawkenbury
Occasions we cook for in Hawkenbury
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Company summer parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Festivals, fairs and school events
For guests coming by train, Tunbridge Wells station is about 0.8 miles away.
Questions to ask before you book
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- How late numbers can change
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How bad weather is handled
Dietary needs and planning tips
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Mention any other courses or food
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, which is when we generally call guests over.
Sangria and bar staff can be added for your own drinks.
Working with your venue
Organising a club, school or community event in Hawkenbury? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will talk you through the process. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Questions from Hawkenbury
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Peter's Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you cater in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
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. If in doubt, send a picture.
What if the weather’s bad?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Do you come to Hawkenbury?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including Hawkenbury. To check your date, use our quote form.
Is the paella gluten-free?
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.
What affects the price in Hawkenbury
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many staff you need
- Guest numbers
- Whether you need crockery
- Starters, canapés and desserts
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Details that help
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- Anything your venue supplies
- The date and time of the event
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The courses you’d like
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
The process
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring. In Hawkenbury, 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. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Getting a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
What we need at the venue
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
What we offer
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. 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 enjoy the party, let us cook.
- 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