Kent · England
Live paella catering in New Hythe, Kent
Planning paella catering in New Hythe? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Christenings and family gatherings
Paella catering in New Hythe
Paella catering for your event in New Hythe
Paella is generous food: giant pans, saffron colour and a toasted crust that everyone fights over. It turns a meal into an occasion. For fairs, fêtes and festivals and office lunches and staff parties, we’ll put together a menu of black rice, vegetable paella and chicken and chorizo paella and more.
In a small place like New Hythe, events are generally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
For event organisers in New Hythe
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Planning the cooking area
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
What we offer
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
How it works
When the rice goes in, it is left alone. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. In New Hythe, 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. In December it’s dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
How to prepare
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Tell us where to park and unload
Get a quote
It is easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Related guides
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. A caterer handles all of that.
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
After service, we pack down our cooking area.
Sangria and bar staff can be added to serve drinks you provide.
Perfect for your event in New Hythe
It needs no kitchen, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We often cook for:
- Birthday celebrations
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Weddings and evening receptions
Historic houses near New Hythe include Starkey Castle (3.7 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Before you book anyone
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Space, access and power needs
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Any travel, parking or access charges
A closer look at the menu
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, finished with lemon wedges. It’s typically the most photographed pan.
New Hythe questions
Is New Hythe too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cook in Leybourne Lakes Country Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
What happens if it rains?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We’ll agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Which paellas suit our guests?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Does paella work for big events?
Yes, that is what it is made for. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
How much paella per person?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Also in New Hythe
Planning live paella in New Hythe
New Hythe is about 4 miles north-west of Maidstone, in Kent. Wherever your event is in the ME20 area, we can cook for your guests. New Hythe is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our nearest city page is London, about 27 miles away.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Leybourne Lakes Country Park? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of the Holy Trinity, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
For paella catering in ME20, we plan around your venue and timings. Local streets include Sherwood Avenue, Ingram Close and Abery Drive; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Lunsford (1 mile west), Larkfield (1 mile south-west), Leybourne (1 mile south-west), Eccles (1 mile north-east) and Snodland (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (4 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (12 miles east), Dartford (13 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (12 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles south-west) and Gravesend (9 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Maidstone Hospital (2.8 miles south-east) and Medway megaliths (2.1 miles east). Open spaces near New Hythe include Blue Bell Hill and Burham Down.
- Local schools include Aylesford School (0.9 miles south-east)
- Nearby, you will find The Monks Head pub (0.8 miles south-west)
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why us?
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- We cover New Hythe and the whole of Kent
See How we price And The cost guide.
- 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