Kent · England
Paella Catering in Hicks Forstal
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Hicks Forstal and across Kent.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Summer garden parties
- Community events and fairs
Paella catering near Hicks Forstal
Step by step
When the rice goes in, it is left alone. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell generally draws people over. Evenings in Hicks Forstal stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Getting ready for the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Let us know the timings for the day
How to get a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Related guides
Paella catering for your event in Hicks Forstal
Watching it cook is part of the experience. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the aroma does the rest. For weddings, from canapés to evening food and fairs, fêtes and festivals, we’ll put together a menu of paella Valenciana, vegan paella and mixed paella and more.
Somewhere like Hicks Forstal, a field or garden is often the perfect setting. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. We serve straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
Catering for every guest
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Try these:
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Confirm allergies by email
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Count adults and children separately
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
Space, weather and the venue
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Level ground for the pans and burners
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think.
What we offer
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
What paella catering costs
These are the factors that matter most:
- The number of people
- Timings and hours
- Waiting and bar staff
- Parking and unloading
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What we need to know
To speed things up, tell us:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- What the venue already provides
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, use our quote form.
Places near Hicks Forstal
Also in Hicks Forstal
Planning live paella in Hicks Forstal
Hicks Forstal is about 2 miles south of Herne Bay, in Kent. For paella catering in Hicks Forstal, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. Hicks Forstal is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Spires Academy, can book us as a food stall. Parks such as Curtis Wood usually need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Hicks Forstal is within about 3 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
We cover events in every part of CT3 and the streets around it. We also cook at events in Calcott (1 mile south-west), Herne Common (1 mile north), Knave's Ash (1 mile east), Herne (1 mile north) and Bullockstone (1 mile north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Canterbury (4 miles south-west), Margate (12 miles east), Dover (15 miles south-east), Ramsgate (12 miles east), Broadstairs (13 miles east) and Whitstable (4 miles west).
Other landmarks nearby include St Martins Hospital (3.9 miles south) and Canterbury Castle (4.6 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
FAQs for Hicks Forstal
Do you come out to small places like Hicks Forstal?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cook near the sea around Hicks Forstal?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
How soon do we need to book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so it pays to ask early.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Are premium seafood options available?
We will talk through seafood options when we plan your menu, including premium options if you want them.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three covers most guests. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans.
How long do you need on site?
We get there in good time to set up. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Organising for someone else?
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Occasions we cook for in Hicks Forstal
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.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Hicks Forstal, paella can be the star of the food. We often cook for:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Summer garden parties
- Milestone birthday parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Sturry station, about 2.2 miles south.
Comparing caterers
- If the price includes VAT
- The deadline for final numbers
- What the price includes, item by item
- Staff numbers and hours
Is live paella right for your event?
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. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Why book with us
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Read Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
- 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