Medway · England
Live paella catering in Lordswood, Medway
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Lordswood: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Community events and fairs
Paella catering in Lordswood
The process
We get there well before serving, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch as the paella takes shape. Planning an evening event in Lordswood? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- We start with a few details 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.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Ask for a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
About our paella catering in Lordswood
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields in and around Lordswood. Typical bookings include summer garden parties and fairs, fêtes and festivals, with paella Valenciana, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella.
In a smaller place like Lordswood, a garden party is often the simplest option: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Tell us about access down the lane or drive. We serve straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
Lordswood questions
Could we have live paella in South Wood?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
We’re having a ceremony at St David's Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Can you cook indoors?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, because we use gas burners. Some venues have suitable spaces; we’ll check with you and the venue.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
Which paellas suit our guests?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
How far ahead should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it is short notice, it’s worth asking.
Lordswood: venues, travel and local tips
Lordswood is about 2 miles south of Chatham, in Medway. For an event in Lordswood, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Lordswood. We cover all 68 towns and villages in Medway. Our events stretch from Lordswood to Canterbury (24 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St David's Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like St Benedict's Catholic Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Lordswood is within about 7 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.
We cater events across the ME5 and ME7 postcode area and the streets around it. Local streets include Hall Road, Rover Road and Gould Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. We also cook at events in Lidsing (1 mile south-east), Walderslade (1 mile west), Dunn Street (1 mile south-east), Bredhurst (1 mile east) and Hempstead (2 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Gillingham (3 miles north-east), Rochester (4 miles north-west), Rainham (3 miles north-east), Strood (5 miles north-west), Twydall (3 miles north-east) and Hoo St Werburgh (6 miles north). Lordswood is among the bigger towns we cover in Medway, with lots of choice for events.
Nearby you’ll also find Pentagon Shopping Centre (3.4 miles north) and Medway Maritime Hospital (3 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Burham Down and Boxley Hills.
- Schools near Lordswood include Greenacre Academy (1.3 miles north-west) and Walderslade Girls' School (1.4 miles north-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Harrow pub (0.9 miles east)
The menu, dish by dish
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
What paella catering costs
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- How many staff you need
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- The number of people
- The paellas you choose
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
What we need to know
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- The date and time of the event
- The courses you’d like
- The venue or postcode
- Roughly how many adults and children
Send us the date, your venue or ME5 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Try these:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Put allergy details in writing
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we serve when guests are ready.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue does not provide them.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Live paella or other catering?
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, so everyone can eat at the same time. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why book with us
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- A clear, itemised quote
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
Take a look at Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Planning the cooking area
No two venues are the same, so we’ll ask about yours when you get in touch. Generally, we look for:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
Menu ideas
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Nearby places to Lordswood
More for events in Lordswood
Occasions we cook for in Lordswood
It needs no kitchen, so it is at home in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Community events and fairs
- Big birthdays
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
Historic houses near Lordswood include Restoration House (3.9 miles north-west) and Starkey Castle (4.1 miles north-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Before you book anyone
- Who provides the crockery
- What happens if it rains
- When final numbers are due
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- 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