Kent · England
Paella Catering for Nettlestead events
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Nettlestead.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Garden get-togethers
- Leaving dos and retirements
Planning an event in Nettlestead?
How the day works
We work to your timings. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is served at its best. In Nettlestead, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Ask for a quote
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, fill in our quote form.
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About our paella catering in Nettlestead
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That’s exactly what we bring to your event in Nettlestead. Typical bookings include garden get-togethers and anniversary celebrations, with black rice, seafood paella and vegan paella.
Somewhere like Nettlestead, a field or garden is often the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
Towns and villages near Nettlestead
What else we do in Nettlestead
Planning for every diet
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Confirm allergies by email
- Tell us what else is being served
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, which is when we typically call guests over.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Is live paella right for your event?
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and typically costs more per head. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and it is entertaining too. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why Nettlestead hosts choose us
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Sangria and bar staff available
Should I cook it myself?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
How we price paella catering
There is nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Distance and access to the venue
- Whether you need crockery
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What we need to know
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- What the venue already provides
- Expected numbers
- Where the event is
- A photo of the space, if you can
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Occasions we cook for in Nettlestead
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
Nearby historic houses include Old Soar Manor (4.3 miles west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Comparing caterers
- Payment terms and deposit
- How long the team stays
- What the price includes, item by item
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Before you choose a spot
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but a few things matter:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Menu ideas
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
The menu, dish by dish
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Nettlestead: venues, travel and local tips
Nettlestead is about 5 miles west of Maidstone, in Kent. We cater events at homes, gardens and venues in Nettlestead and nearby villages. We cook in 922 places across Kent. Our nearest city page is London, about 28 miles away.
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Wateringbury Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For guests coming by train, Wateringbury station is in Nettlestead itself.
Paella catering in ME18 is planned around your venue and your guests. Streets in the area include Henrys Close, Glenleigh Road and Orchard Crescent, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Wateringbury (1 mile north-east), Red Hill (1 mile north-east), Teston (1 mile north-east), Nettlestead Green (1 mile south) and West Farleigh (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (5 miles east), Sittingbourne (15 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (10 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (10 miles south-west), Gravesend (13 miles north) and Tonbridge (7 miles south-west).
A little further out are Teapot Island (1.9 miles south) and Leybourne Castle (3.8 miles north).
- Nearby, you will find The Railway pub (less than half a mile east)
Nettlestead: your questions answered
Which station should guests use for Nettlestead?
Wateringbury station, in Nettlestead itself.
How far is Nettlestead from London?
About 28 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so contact us early.
Which paellas suit our guests?
Two or three is usual: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Our menu lists the options.
What is live paella catering?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook in front of your guests, and serve at the time you want.
Can you bring crockery?
We can. Let us know what you have, and we will quote for the rest.
How many different paellas?
Most events have two or three: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
What space do you need to cook?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
- 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