Kent · England
Paella Catering in Lilyvale
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Lilyvale: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Birthday celebrations
Paella catering for Lilyvale events
How we price paella catering
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Parking and unloading
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- The length of service
- How many staff you need
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
What to tell us
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- Which courses you have in mind
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Where the event is
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, fill in our quote form.
How our paella catering works in Lilyvale
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. We’re frequently asked to cater family celebrations and christenings and staff parties and work lunches, with vegan paella, mixed paella and black rice.
In a rural place like Lilyvale, the setting does plenty of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
What’s in the pans
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s usually the most photographed pan.
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Paella catering around Lilyvale
Lilyvale is about 5 miles east of Ashford, in Kent. We cater events at gardens, halls and venues around Lilyvale and nearby villages. Lilyvale is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. We cook right across the region, from Lilyvale to Canterbury (12 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Westenhanger station is about 2.9 miles away. Nearby historic houses include Westenhanger Castle (2.7 miles south-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Lilyvale, 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. Lilyvale is within about 6 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Paella catering in TN25 is planned around your venue. Nearby, we also cater events in Brabourne Lees (1 mile north-west), Stone Hill (1 mile south-east), Smeeth (1 mile north-west), Ridgeway (1 mile west) and Bircholt Forstal (1 mile north). Larger places within reach include Ashford (5 miles west), Canterbury (12 miles north), Dover (14 miles east), Folkestone (8 miles east), Faversham (14 miles north) and Hythe (5 miles south-east).
A little further out are Lympne Castle (3.6 miles south-east) and William Harvey Hospital (3.4 miles north-west). Open spaces near Lilyvale include Tolsford Hill and Hatch Park.
Common questions in Lilyvale
Is Lilyvale close to London?
Roughly 53 miles from the centre of London.
Which station should guests use for Lilyvale?
Westenhanger station, about 2.9 miles south-east of the centre.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
When do you arrive?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
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.
Is halal food available?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in its own pan.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
Why choose paella catering in Lilyvale?
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, thanks to separate pans for each version. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Lilyvale:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Retirement celebrations
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Smeeth Community Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Comparing caterers
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- If the price includes VAT
- Allergen information for each dish
- When final numbers are due
Dietary needs and planning tips
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Give us separate numbers for children
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
How the day 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 Lilyvale, 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 is dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Tell us when you want to eat
Get a quote
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Related guides
Planners, venues and businesses
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 repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Planning the cooking area
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
What we offer
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
Towns and villages near Lilyvale
Also in Lilyvale
- 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