Kent · England
Live paella catering in High Brooms, Kent
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in High Brooms. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Company summer parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
Paella catering in High Brooms
Paella catering in High Brooms, cooked live
There is something generous about paella: big pans, bright colours and a crispy base everyone wants a spoonful of. It makes the food an event in itself. We are often asked to cater weddings and evening receptions and staff parties and work lunches, serving mixed paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella.
In a smaller place like High Brooms, a garden party is often the simplest option: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Tell us about access down the lane or drive. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Planners, venues and businesses
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Common questions in High Brooms
We are having a ceremony at St Matthew's Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Is High Brooms close to London?
About 29 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
How much is live paella catering?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
How much space do you need?
Less than you might think: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a photo if you are not sure.
How long do you need on site?
We get there in good time to set up. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Do you cover High Brooms?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including High Brooms. To check your date, use our quote form.
How many different paellas?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
Step by step
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Guests typically gather round to watch while it cooks. Evenings in High Brooms stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- 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.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Preparing for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Give us a contact for the day
Ask for a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Planning help
Space, weather and the venue
Every venue is different, so we will ask about yours before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
What we offer
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
Planning for every diet
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Confirm allergies by email
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, which is when we generally call guests over.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
How we price paella catering
These are the factors that matter most:
- Your choice of paellas
- How many staff you need
- Travel, parking and access
- Whether you need crockery
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Details that help
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Where the event is
- What the venue already provides
- Which courses you have in mind
Thinking about paella catering for your event in High Brooms? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. To get in touch, use our quote form.
Why choose live paella in High Brooms?
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. It is served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why us?
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Drinks service on request
Occasions we cook for in High Brooms
It’s ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, with guests mingling as it cooks and then sit down to share.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. In High Brooms, people book us for occasions like:
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Community events and fairs
- Anniversary celebrations
- Big birthdays
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like St John's Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- VAT, if it applies
- The wet-weather plan
- How long the team stays
- Space, access and power needs
Catering an event in High Brooms
High Brooms is about 1 mile north-east of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. Wherever your event is in the TN2 area, we can bring the pans to you. High Brooms is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 28 miles away.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Hilbert Woods? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. Historic houses near High Brooms include Groombridge Place (4.4 miles south-west) and Penshurst Place (4.4 miles north-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. High Brooms is within about 7 miles of the High Weald National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cover events in every part of TN2, TN4 and TN1 and the streets around it. We can cater an event on streets such as Oak Road, Brook Road and Caley Road or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside High Brooms, we also cover Southborough (1 mile north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (1 mile south-west), Hawkenbury (2 miles south), Stockland Green (2 miles west) and Bidborough (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (14 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (10 miles north-west), Tonbridge (3 miles north), Kings Hill (10 miles north-east), Foley Park (14 miles north-east) and Paddock Wood (5 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Kent and Sussex Hospital (1.2 miles south-west) and Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery (1.2 miles south-west). Not far away are Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve and Barden Lake.
- Nearby schools include Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys (0.7 miles west) and St Gregory's Catholic School (0.8 miles west)
- Nearby, you will find Longbow Court pub (less than half a mile north-west)
Places near High Brooms
More for events in High Brooms
- 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