Medway · England
Live paella catering in Lower Upnor, Medway
Planning paella catering in Lower Upnor? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Office lunches and staff parties
Paella catering in Lower Upnor
Your questions about paella catering in Lower Upnor
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Philip & St James?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you come out to small places like Lower Upnor?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
How do you work out quantities?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Can you serve drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Do you cover Lower Upnor?
Yes, we do. Lower Upnor is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas first, paella to follow.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you so the paella is ready when you want it.
About our paella catering in Lower Upnor
There’s something generous about paella: huge pans, saffron colour and a toasted crust that everyone fights over. It makes the food an event in itself. For garden get-togethers and weddings and evening receptions, we’ll put together a menu of vegetable paella, black rice and seafood paella.
In a hamlet or village like Lower Upnor, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
For planners, venues and organisers
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
If you are organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and it is entertaining too. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
Why book with us
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Catering across Medway, including Lower Upnor
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Read How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Places near Lower Upnor
Also in Lower Upnor
Dietary needs and planning tips
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Mention any other courses or food
- Count adults and children separately
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If plans change, tell us and we’ll adjust.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
What paella catering costs
There is nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Timings and hours
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Travel, parking and access
- Guest numbers
Larger events normally cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
What we need to know
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- The courses you’d like
- Anything your venue supplies
- Expected numbers
- Any dietary needs and allergies
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Before you choose a spot
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
What we offer
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
Why choose paella catering in Lower Upnor?
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Retirement celebrations
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Chattenden Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What your quote should include
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- What the price includes, item by item
- Allergen information for each dish
- The deposit and payment dates
How it works
Here’s how the day usually runs: we arrive, set up and start cooking, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it is served hot from the pan when you are ready to eat. Planning an evening event in Lower Upnor? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Tell us where to park and unload
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: use our quote form.
Planning help
Live paella in Lower Upnor: local details
Lower Upnor is about 2 miles north-east of Rochester, in Medway. We cater events at homes, gardens and venues in Lower Upnor and nearby villages. Lower Upnor is one of 68 places in Medway we cover. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 26 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Restoration House (2 miles south-west) and Temple Manor (2.3 miles south-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. For guests coming by train, Strood station is about 1.6 miles away.
Anywhere in ME2, we can bring paella catering to you. Local streets include Galleon Way, Cutter Close and Schooner Walk; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Close by, we cover events in Upper Upnor (1 mile south-west), Chattenden (1 mile north), Wainscott (1 mile west), Hoo St Werburgh (2 miles north-east) and Cooling Street (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Gillingham (3 miles south-east), Chatham (4 miles south), Rainham (5 miles south-east), Strood (3 miles south-west), Luton (3 miles south) and Park Wood (5 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Huguenot Museum (1.8 miles south-west) and City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1.8 miles south-west). Open spaces near Lower Upnor include Rede Common and Gad's Hill.
- Nearby schools include The Hundred of Hoo Academy (1.2 miles north-east) and Waterfront University Technical College (1.3 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include The Ship pub (less than half a mile east)
- Other local spots include Former Ordnance Store At Chatham Gun Wharf (1.8 miles south)
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s the pan people photograph.
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