Kent · England
Live paella catering in Kingsdown, Kent
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 Kingsdown.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Book paella catering in Kingsdown
Catering an event in Kingsdown
Kingsdown is about 3 miles south-east of Sittingbourne, in Kent. For paella catering in Kingsdown, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. We cook in 922 places in Kent. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 14 miles away.
Parks such as Doddington Place Gardens generally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Historic houses near Kingsdown include Belmont House and Gardens (3.9 miles south-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. Kingsdown is within about 6 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
This part of Kent takes in ME9, so your event can be anywhere in it. Nearby, we also cater events in Newbury (1 mile north), Erriottwood (1 mile east), Dungate (1 mile west), Bapchild (1 mile north) and Lynsted (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (11 miles west), Ashford (12 miles south), Canterbury (14 miles east), Sittingbourne (3 miles north-west), Whitstable (12 miles east) and Faversham (5 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Sittingbourne Heritage Museum (2.9 miles north) and Newnham Castle (1.8 miles south-east).
Paella catering in Kingsdown, made fresh on the day
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, there’s very little waste, and the food is served hot. It is why live paella suits so many kinds of event. Whether it’s retirement celebrations and engagement and anniversary parties, we can cook chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and vegetable paella.
In a rural place like Kingsdown, the setting does plenty of the work: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served as soon as it’s ready.
How it works
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. In Kingsdown, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Getting a price
Planning paella catering in Kingsdown? Tell us what you have in mind and we will come back with ideas and a quote. To contact us, use our quote form.
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Should I cook it myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Live paella or other catering?
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. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What you get with us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Take a look at How we price And The cost guide.
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together, for guests who want a bit of everything.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
Planning for every diet
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Put allergy details in writing
- Mention any other courses or food
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we serve when guests are ready.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal, or serve your own cake.
Organising for someone else?
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Prices and what affects them
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Timings and hours
- Waiting and bar staff
- The number of people
- Starters, canapés and desserts
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What to tell us
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The venue or postcode
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Tell us about your event in Kingsdown, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Events we cater in Kingsdown
There’s no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Birthday celebrations
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
For guests coming by train, Teynham station is about 2.9 miles away.
What your quote should include
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- What happens if it rains
- Travel and parking costs
Your questions about paella catering in Kingsdown
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Catherine?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three is usual: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Can paella be the only main course?
It’s a full meal on its own. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
How soon do we need to book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it’s short notice, it’s worth asking.
Is halal food available?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
Places near Kingsdown
Other catering in Kingsdown
- 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