Kent · England
Live paella catering in Hucking, Kent
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Hucking: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Weddings and evening receptions
Paella catering for Hucking events
How it works
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. In Hucking, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Preparing for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
How to get a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we are available that day.
Planning help
About our paella catering in Hucking
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That is what we bring to events in Hucking. We are often asked to cater office lunches and staff parties and festivals, fairs and school events, serving vegetable paella, black rice and seafood paella.
In a small place like Hucking, events are usually in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
Paella catering around Hucking
Hucking is about 5 miles south-west of Sittingbourne, in Kent. Tell us where your event in Hucking will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up before the day. We cook in 922 places in Kent. We cook right across the region, from Hucking to Canterbury (19 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Hollingbourne station is about 2.1 miles away. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Margaret, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Hucking is within about 3 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
This part of Kent takes in ME17, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. If your venue is just outside Hucking, we also cover Bicknor (1 mile east), Broad Street (1 mile south-west), Hollingbourne (2 miles south), Wormshill (2 miles east) and Eyhorne Street (2 miles south). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (5 miles west), Ashford (14 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (5 miles north-east), Gravesend (15 miles north-west), Faversham (11 miles east) and Minster (11 miles north-east).
A little further out are KIMS hospital (3.8 miles west) and Leeds Castle (3.2 miles south). The countryside around Hucking includes Detling Hill.
- Pubs nearby include Hook and Hatchet pub (within half a mile west)
Towns and villages near Hucking
More for events in Hucking
Before you choose a spot
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Hucking
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
Perfect for your event in Hucking
It suits relaxed, sociable events, with guests mingling as it cooks before sitting down to eat.
In Hucking and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Milestone birthday parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Retirement and leaving parties
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Stockbury Hill Wood? Public parks generally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
What to look for in a quote
- VAT, if it applies
- Who provides the crockery
- Travel and parking costs
- What the caterer needs from your venue
Dishes our guests love
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, and a popular all-rounder.
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It’s frequently the most popular pan at an event.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
Why Hucking hosts choose us
- Drinks service on request
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
Take a look at Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
DIY paella versus live catering
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Dietary needs and planning tips
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Mention any other courses or food
- Put allergy details in writing
- Count adults and children separately
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we serve when guests are ready.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Organising for someone else?
Hosting a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Hucking questions
Could we have live paella in Stockbury Hill Wood?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Do you come out to small places like Hucking?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
How far ahead should we book?
The sooner the better. Peak dates go quickly, so it pays to ask early.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Which paellas suit our guests?
Most events choose two or three: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan for them.
How many different paellas?
Most events have two or three: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will help you decide the split.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
- 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