Kent · England
Paella Catering in Leybourne
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Leybourne.
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Community events and fairs
Live paella catering in Leybourne
Paella catering in Leybourne, made fresh on the day
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. When it’s ready, it is served straight from the pan. We’re often asked to cater anniversaries and engagement parties and summer garden parties, serving mixed paella, chicken and chorizo paella and vegan paella.
In a rural place like Leybourne, the setting does a lot of the work: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Tell us about access and the ground. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
Organising for someone else?
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
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.
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s typically the most photographed pan.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Also in Leybourne
The process
We work to your timings. If things run behind, we adjust the cooking so it is served at its best. In Leybourne, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
How to prepare
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
How to get a price
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Related guides
Common questions in Leybourne
Which station should guests use for Leybourne?
West Malling station, about 0.7 miles south-west of the centre.
We’re having a ceremony at Church of St Peter and St Paul: 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.
How many different paellas?
Two or three is usual: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We’ll help you decide the split.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook on the day, then serve straight from the pan.
How much is live paella catering?
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. Tell us your date and numbers and we will reply with a price.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is generally popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
Is paella a full meal?
Yes. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course, and tapas or dessert can be added.
Planning live paella in Leybourne
Leybourne is about 5 miles north-west of Maidstone, in Kent. Tell us where your event in Leybourne will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up. Leybourne is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. Our nearest city page is London, about 26 miles away.
For guests coming by train, West Malling station is about 0.7 miles away. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Leybourne Lakes Country Park? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
Wherever your event is in ME19 and ME20, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Whether your event is on London Road, Oxley Shaw Lane and Redbank or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Larkfield (1 mile east), Lunsford (1 mile north-east), New Hythe (1 mile north-east), Birling (1 mile north-west) and Snodland (2 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (5 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (14 miles east), Dartford (13 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (10 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (13 miles south-west) and Gravesend (9 miles north).
Nearby you’ll also find Leybourne Castle (within half a mile north-west) and Coldrum Long Barrow (2.7 miles north-west). Open spaces near Leybourne include Burham Down and Blue Bell Hill.
- Schools near Leybourne include The Malling School (0.8 miles south) and The Malling School (0.8 miles south)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Monks Head pub (0.7 miles east)
Events we cater in Leybourne
There’s no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Leybourne and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Milestone birthday parties
- Company summer parties
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Lunsford Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What your quote should include
- Whether VAT is included
- Allergen information for each dish
- The deadline for final numbers
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
Prices and what affects them
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- The paellas you choose
- Parking and unloading
- How many courses
- Guest numbers
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- The date and time of the event
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A picture of where we’d cook
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Catering for every guest
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Mention any other courses or food
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
A short rest after cooking helps, which is when we generally call guests over.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Is live paella right for your event?
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What you get with us
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Drinks service on request
- A quote that spells everything out
Read How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Where we can cook in Leybourne
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
Menu ideas
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- 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