Kent · England
Paella Catering for Laddingford events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Laddingford: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, right in front of your guests.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Office lunches and staff parties
Paella catering in Laddingford
How our paella catering works in Laddingford
The cooking is half the fun. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the smell does the rest. We’re frequently asked to cater leaving dos and retirements and office lunches and staff parties, serving seafood paella, black rice and chicken and chorizo paella.
In a rural place like Laddingford, 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. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and service is quick once it’s ready.
Common questions in Laddingford
How far is Laddingford from London?
Roughly 30 miles from the centre of London.
Is Laddingford too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Which paellas suit our guests?
Most events choose two or three: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. Our menu lists the options.
What is live paella catering?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Is the paella cooked on site?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, while the rice is cooking.
Can you cater for children?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is typically popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
Can you serve drinks?
Yes, sangria. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Who books paella catering in Laddingford?
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks and then sit down to share.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We frequently cook for:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Garden get-togethers
- Leaving dos and retirements
For guests coming by train, Beltring station is about 0.7 miles away.
Questions to ask before booking
- The deposit and payment dates
- What happens if it rains
- A clear list of what’s included
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
Places near Laddingford
Also in Laddingford
How the day works
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. In Laddingford, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Getting a price
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, use our quote form.
Related guides
Planning for every diet
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Tell us what else is being served
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
What’s in the pans
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s normally the most photographed pan.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
How we price paella catering
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- Whether you need crockery
- The paellas you choose
- How many courses
- The length of service
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What we need to know
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- What the venue already provides
- Where the event is
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. Start when you are ready: fill in our quote form.
Planning live paella in Laddingford
Laddingford is about 6 miles east of Tonbridge, in Kent. Events in Laddingford are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Laddingford is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our events stretch from Laddingford to Canterbury (about 29 miles away).
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St Mary, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
For paella catering in ME18, we plan around your venue and your guests. Streets in the area include Cleavesland and St Mary's Close, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Nearby, we also cater events in Benover (1 mile north-east), Congelow (1 mile north-east), Yalding (1 mile north-east), Nettlestead Green (2 miles north) and Hunton (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (6 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (11 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (8 miles south-west), Tonbridge (6 miles west), Kings Hill (5 miles north) and Foley Park (7 miles north-east).
A little further out are Oakwood Hospital (5.1 miles north-east) and Teapot Island (1 mile north).
- Pubs nearby include The Chequers Inn (less than half a mile west)
Why choose live paella in Laddingford?
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
What you get with us
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Drinks service on request
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Planners, venues and businesses
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Organising a club, school or community event in Laddingford? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
- 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