Kent · England
Live paella catering in Hextable, Kent
Something for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Hextable.
- Retirement celebrations
- Company summer parties
- Milestone birthday parties
Planning an event in Hextable?
Events we cater in Hextable
People book live paella because it is food and entertainment at once. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food is hot and generous.
These are some of the occasions we cater in Hextable and Kent:
- Community events and fairs
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Family celebrations and christenings
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Hextable Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
What to look for in a quote
- How late numbers can change
- The wet-weather plan
- Allergen information for each dish
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Paella catering in Hextable, cooked live
You can keep it simple or build a full menu: paella on its own, or with canapés, table tapas, desserts and sangria. We will recommend what fits your event. On the menu are vegetable paella, mixed paella and paella Valenciana, and we are regularly asked to cater office lunches and staff parties and summer garden parties.
In and around Hextable, gardens and local halls are common choices. If the road in is narrow, tell us so we can plan the van. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
Where we can cook in Hextable
We will be honest if a space will not work, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
Popular choices
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Your questions about paella catering in Hextable
Which station should guests use for Hextable?
Swanley station, about 1.5 miles south-west of the centre.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Peter?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is halal food available?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
What does paella catering cost?
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. Tell us your date and numbers for a clear quote.
Do you do desserts?
We do. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
How soon do we need to book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it is short notice, it’s worth asking.
Paella compared with other options
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why us?
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Catering across Kent, including Hextable
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Read Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
For event organisers in Hextable
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
What paella catering costs
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Guest numbers
- How long we’re needed on site
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before booking.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Anything your venue supplies
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
It is easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
The process
We get there well before serving, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Your guests are welcome to watch while it cooks. Around midsummer it stays light in Hextable until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Give us a contact for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Have a level space ready for the pans
Ask for a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
Read more
Nearby places to Hextable
Also in Hextable
Paella catering around Hextable
Hextable is about 3 miles south-west of Dartford, in Kent. For paella catering in Hextable, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Hextable is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. You can also see our page for London, about 13 miles away.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Dartford Heath? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. Nearby historic houses include Hall Place and Gardens (2.7 miles north) and Red House (3.8 miles north-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Hextable. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
This part of Kent takes in BR8 and DA2. Local streets include Panter's, Southbank and Plantation Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Hextable is on the B258, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. If your venue is just outside Hextable, we also cover Puddledock (1 mile north-west), Swanley Village (1 mile south-east), Stonehill Green (1 mile west), Joyden's Wood (1 mile north-west) and Wilmington (1 mile north). Larger places within reach include Dartford (3 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (9 miles south), Gravesend (9 miles east), Tonbridge (15 miles south), Northfleet (7 miles east) and Kings Hill (14 miles south-east).
A little further out are Broadway Shopping Centre (3.4 miles north-west) and Dartford Library (2.6 miles north-east). Not far away are Wansunt Pit.
- Local schools include Hextable School (within half a mile south-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Ship pub (0.5 miles north-west)
- 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