Kent · England
Paella Catering in Lullingstone
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Lullingstone. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Birthday celebrations
- Anniversary celebrations
- Leaving dos and retirements
Paella catering for Lullingstone events
How our paella catering works in Lullingstone
One cooking area feeds plenty of people, very little goes to waste, and the food arrives hot. It is why live paella suits so many kinds of event. Popular choices include seafood paella, vegan paella and black rice, and typical bookings are for staff parties and work lunches and birthday celebrations.
In a hamlet or village like Lullingstone, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
Is live paella right for your event?
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. It is served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why Lullingstone hosts choose us
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Take a look at Our prices page Or Our guide to catering costs.
Catering an event in Lullingstone
Lullingstone is about 3 miles south of Swanley, in Kent. Give us the address of your event in Lullingstone, and we will plan the journey and set-up. We cook in all 922 towns and villages in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Lullingstone to London (about 16 miles away).
Historic houses near Lullingstone include Lullingstone Castle (within half a mile east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Eynsford station, about 0.6 miles north-east. Lullingstone is within about 2 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Anywhere in DA4, we can bring paella catering to you. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Shoreham (2 miles south), Well Hill (2 miles west), Crockenhill (2 miles north-west), Maypole (2 miles west) and Bopeep (2 miles west). Further out, we also cater in Dartford (6 miles north), Sevenoaks (5 miles south), Gravesend (9 miles north-east), Tonbridge (12 miles south), Northfleet (8 miles north-east) and Swanley (3 miles north).
Nearby you will also find Lullingstone Castle (within half a mile east) and Orpington Hospital (4.2 miles west). The countryside around Lullingstone includes The Warren.
- Local pubs include The Malt Shovel pub (1 mile north-east)
Questions from Lullingstone
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
Which station should guests use for Lullingstone?
The closest is Eynsford station, roughly 0.6 miles away.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is typically popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
Does paella work for big events?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Which paella is most popular?
Two or three is usual: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we will quote for the rest.
What affects the price in Lullingstone
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Distance and access to the venue
- Guest numbers
- Whether you need crockery
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
What we need to know
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- The date and rough timings
- The address or venue name
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Expected numbers
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, fill in our quote form.
How it works
A typical event goes like this: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and it’s served hot from the pan at the agreed time. In Lullingstone, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
How to get a price
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Lullingstone? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
Working with your venue
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
What’s in the pans
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Towns and villages near Lullingstone
Also in Lullingstone
Before you choose a spot
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
DIY paella versus live catering
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.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
- 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