Kent · England
Paella Catering for Out Elmstead 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 makes the food a highlight of your event in Out Elmstead.
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Staff parties and work lunches
Planning an event in Out Elmstead?
Events we cater in Out Elmstead
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.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Summer garden parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Company summer parties
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Giles, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Before booking anyone
- How bad weather is handled
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Who provides the crockery
- VAT, if it applies
About our paella catering in Out Elmstead
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field in and around Out Elmstead. Whether it’s summer garden parties and big birthdays, we can cook vegan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella and more.
In a hamlet or village like Out Elmstead, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it is ready.
What affects the price in Out Elmstead
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Parking and unloading
- Guest numbers
- The length of service
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Details that help
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- The address or venue name
- Which courses you have in mind
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Out Elmstead? Send us the details and we will come back with ideas and a quote. To get in touch, fill in our quote form.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Why us?
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Fast service from the pan
See How we price And The cost guide.
Out Elmstead: your questions answered
Which station should guests use for Out Elmstead?
The closest is Aylesham station, roughly 2.4 miles away.
Is Out Elmstead too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, on request. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it’s cooked separately.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
Do you cater for young children?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan a pan with them in mind.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
We can. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
Can you serve drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Planners, venues and businesses
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
What we need at the venue
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space when you get in touch. In general, we need:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
Popular choices
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
Catering an event in Out Elmstead
Out Elmstead is about 5 miles south-east of Canterbury, in Kent. For paella catering in Out Elmstead, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cover all 922 towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages.
For guests coming by train, Aylesham station is about 2.4 miles away. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Jumping Downs? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Out Elmstead, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Anywhere in CT4, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. We also cook at events in Kingston (1 mile north-west), Barham (1 mile south), Gravel Castle (1 mile south-east), Derringstone (1 mile south) and Marley (1 mile west). Larger places within reach include Ashford (14 miles west), Canterbury (5 miles north-west), Margate (15 miles north-east), Dover (8 miles south-east), Folkestone (9 miles south) and Ramsgate (14 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Kent and Canterbury Hospital (4.6 miles north-west).
- Pubs nearby include Black Robin Public House (within half a mile north-west)
About the dishes
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.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it’s often the first pan to empty.
The process
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so the timing is planned around your event. Evenings in Out Elmstead stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- 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.
Getting ready for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Plan cover in case of rain
How to get a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, use our quote form.
Read more
Nearby places to Out Elmstead
What else we do in Out Elmstead
- 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