Kent · England
Paella Catering for Ightham events
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Ightham.
- Company summer parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Paella catering in Ightham
Paella catering in Ightham, cooked live
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. We are often asked to cater naming days and family parties and company summer parties, with black rice, mixed paella and vegetable paella.
Somewhere as small as Ightham, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Catering an event in Ightham
Ightham is about 4 miles east of Sevenoaks, in Kent. Give us the address of your event in Ightham, and we will plan the journey and set-up. Ightham is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. Our events stretch from Ightham to London (about 22 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Borough Green & Wrotham station is about 1.5 miles away. Nearby historic houses include Ightham Mote (1.5 miles south) and Old Soar Manor (2.1 miles south-east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Ightham. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
This part of Kent takes in TN15, so your event can be anywhere in it. Whether your event is on The Street, Redwell Lane and Old Lane or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Oldbury (1 mile north), Ivy Hatch (1 mile south-west), Sheet Hill (1 mile south-east), Styants Bottom (1 mile north-west) and Yopps Green (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (11 miles east), Dartford (12 miles north), Sevenoaks (4 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (10 miles south), Gravesend (11 miles north) and Tonbridge (6 miles south).
Well-known places in the area include Ightham Court (1.1 miles north) and Beechin Wood Archery Museum (2.3 miles east).
- Local schools include Wrotham School (1.9 miles north-east)
- Local pubs include The Old House (less than half a mile north-west)
What we need at the venue
If a space is not suitable, we will tell you. What matters most:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
For planners, venues and organisers
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Is live paella right for your event?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What you get with us
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- A quote that spells everything out
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
Take a look at How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
How we price paella catering
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- The paellas you choose
- Waiting and bar staff
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Timings and hours
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.
Details that help
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The courses you’d like
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Any dietary needs and allergies
It’s easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will come back with a clear quote.
How it works
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so the timing is planned around your event. In Ightham, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- 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.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
Getting a price
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Ightham questions
Could we have live paella in Ivy Hatch Nature Reserve?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Peter?
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. Send us the reception address.
Is halal food available?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and it’s cooked separately.
How much is live paella catering?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
Does paella work for big events?
It’s ideal. Big pans feed a lot of people, and service from the pan is quick.
Do you cater in Ightham?
We do. We cook at events in Ightham and across Kent. Send us your date to check availability.
Which paella is most popular?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Do you clear up afterwards?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
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.
Perfect for your event in Ightham
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks and then sit down to share.
These are some of the occasions we cater:
- Naming days and family parties
- Garden get-togethers
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Retirement and leaving parties
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Ightham Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
What to look for in a quote
- VAT, if it applies
- The deposit and payment dates
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
Planning for every diet
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Confirm allergies by email
- Mention any other courses or food
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Other catering in Ightham
- 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