Kent · England
Live paella catering in Little Chart, Kent
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Little Chart. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Community events and fairs
- Office lunches and staff parties
Planning an event in Little Chart?
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Little Chart
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Paella catering in Little Chart, cooked live
Keep it simple, or go all out: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We’ll suggest what suits your event. Typical bookings include festivals, fairs and school events and milestone birthday parties, with black rice, chicken and chorizo paella and mixed paella.
In a hamlet or village like Little Chart, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. You’ll know exactly what’s included before you book: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
DIY paella versus live catering
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It is usually the most photographed pan.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
Also near Little Chart
What else we do in Little Chart
What affects the price in Little Chart
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Guest numbers
- The paellas you choose
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Details that help
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- The venue or postcode
- Your date and when you want to eat
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The courses you’d like
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
How it works
Here’s how the day usually runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and it’s served hot from the pan when you’re ready to eat. In Little Chart, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Getting a price
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Planning help
Is live paella right for your event?
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain to your event in Little Chart. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Little Chart
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Catering across Kent, including Little Chart
Read Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Common questions in Little Chart
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will follow the site rules.
Is Little Chart close to London?
About 44 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
How do you work out quantities?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
How much does paella catering cost in Little Chart?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
How long do you need on site?
We get there in good time to set up. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
How many paellas should we have?
Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
Catering an event in Little Chart
Little Chart is about 5 miles north-west of Ashford, in Kent. For an event in Little Chart, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Little Chart. We cover 922 places in Kent. Our events stretch from Little Chart to Canterbury (15 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Charing station is about 2.1 miles away. For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Little Chart is within about 7 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
This part of Kent takes in TN27, so your event can be anywhere in it. We also cook at events in Little Chart Forstal (1 mile east), Pluckley (1 mile west), Fir Toll (2 miles south-west), Pluckley Thorne (2 miles west) and Chambers' Green (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (13 miles north-west), Ashford (5 miles south-east), Canterbury (15 miles north-east), Sittingbourne (12 miles north), Faversham (10 miles north-east) and Hythe (15 miles south-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Romden Castle (3.8 miles south-west).
- Pubs nearby include The Swan Inn And Former Stables (under half a mile north-west)
Organising for someone else?
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Little Chart? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Catering for every guest
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Tell us what else is being served
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Request clear labels at the serving table
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
- 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