Kent · England
Paella Catering in Matfield
Planning paella catering in Matfield? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Community events and fairs
Paella catering for Matfield events
Paella catering for your event in Matfield
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. Typical bookings include staff parties and work lunches and engagement and anniversary parties, serving paella Valenciana, mixed paella and black rice.
In a hamlet or village like Matfield, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, never made in advance and reheated, and served as soon as it’s ready.
Organising for someone else?
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
How we price paella catering
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- How many staff you need
- Travel, parking and access
- How many guests are eating
- The paellas you choose
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Getting an accurate quote
These details help us quote quickly:
- The venue or postcode
- Expected numbers
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- The date and time of the event
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Matfield
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- We cover Matfield and the whole of Kent
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Drinks service on request
Read Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
Live paella in Matfield: local details
Matfield is about 5 miles east of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. Tell us where your event in Matfield will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up. We cover all 922 towns and villages in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is London, about 31 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Paddock Wood station is about 2.1 miles away. Parks such as Brenchley Wood usually need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Matfield is within about 7 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Anywhere in TN12, we can cook for your guests. That could mean an event in a garden on Standings Close, Homebush Green and Chestnut Lane. If your venue is just outside Matfield, we also cover Petteridge (1 mile south-east), Brenchley (1 mile east), Colt's Hill (1 mile north-west), Key's Green (2 miles south-west) and Paddock Wood (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (10 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (12 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (5 miles west), Tonbridge (5 miles north-west), Kings Hill (8 miles north) and Foley Park (11 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Tunbridge Wells Hospital (2.9 miles west) and The Hop Farm Museum (3.1 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve.
- Local schools include Mascalls School (1.2 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Poet at Matfield pub (under half a mile west)
Where we can cook in Matfield
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
What we offer
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
How it works
We get there well before serving, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Guests typically gather round to watch while it cooks. Evenings in Matfield stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Before we arrive
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
How to get a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
Read more
What’s in the pans
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, and a popular all-rounder.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, finished with lemon wedges. It is the pan people photograph.
Occasions we cook for in Matfield
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
These are some of the occasions we cater in Matfield and Kent:
- Naming days and family parties
- Milestone birthday parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Historic houses near Matfield include Scotney Castle (4.5 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Questions to ask before booking
- How bad weather is handled
- Whether VAT is included
- When payment is due
- The venue requirements
Other catering in Matfield
Matfield: your questions answered
What’s the nearest station to Matfield for guests?
The closest is Paddock Wood station, roughly 2.1 miles away.
Can you cook in Brenchley Wood?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
What areas do you cover?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
How long does the paella take?
We get there in good time to set up. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Can you provide dessert?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind when you ask for a quote.
How many paellas should we have?
Typically two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
- 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