Medway · England
Paella Catering in Lower Stoke
Paella for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Lower Stoke.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Garden get-togethers
Paella catering for Lower Stoke events
How our paella catering works in Lower Stoke
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Each is cooked separately. We are frequently asked to cater garden get-togethers and anniversaries and engagement parties, with chicken and chorizo paella, vegan paella and paella Valenciana.
Somewhere as small as Lower Stoke, a garden or field is often the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Working with your venue
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Lower Stoke: venues, travel and local tips
Lower Stoke is in Medway. Give us the address of your event in Lower Stoke, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. Lower Stoke is one of 68 towns and villages in Medway where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Lower Stoke to Canterbury (23 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Peter and St Paul, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Anywhere in ME3, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Streets in the area include High Street, Brook Lane and Shepherds Way, and we can cook for an event on any of them. If your venue is just outside Lower Stoke, we also cover Middle Stoke (1 mile south), Stoke (1 mile south-west), Allhallows (1 mile north), Allhallows-on-Sea (1 mile north-east) and North Street (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Gillingham (6 miles south-west), Chatham (8 miles south-west), Rochester (7 miles south-west), Rainham (7 miles south), Strood (8 miles south-west) and Luton (7 miles south-west).
Open spaces near Lower Stoke include Bishop Saltings.
- Pubs nearby include The Ship pub (less than half a mile west)
How it works
Service is quick: we serve straight from the pan, so large groups are fed quickly. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. In Lower Stoke, the sun sets at about 9:20pm 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.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
How to prepare
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Getting a price
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will put together a menu and price.
Related guides
Before you choose a spot
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before you book.
Popular choices
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Put allergy details in writing
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Mention any other courses or food
- Give us separate numbers for children
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.
Sangria and bar staff can be added for your own drinks.
Perfect for your event in Lower Stoke
It suits relaxed, sociable events, with guests mingling as it cooks and then sit down to share.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Company summer parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Summer garden parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Stoke Primary Academy, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- If the price includes VAT
- Whether travel is included
- The deadline for final numbers
- How long the team stays
Your questions about paella catering in Lower Stoke
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Peter and St Paul: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is Lower Stoke too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
What happens if it rains?
We cook under cover, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
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.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
Do you bring everything you need?
Pans, burners and ingredients all come with us. You just need a suitable spot and access.
When do you arrive?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, so everyone can eat at the same time. 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.
Why Lower Stoke hosts choose us
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- We cover Lower Stoke and the whole of Medway
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Real theatre, not just catering
Take a look at Our prices page Or What paella catering costs.
Also near Lower Stoke
Other catering in Lower Stoke
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is generally served with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
- 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