Kent · England
Live paella catering in Park Farm, Kent
Planning paella catering in Park Farm? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Retirement and leaving parties
Live paella catering in Park Farm
How our paella catering works in Park Farm
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That’s exactly what we bring to your event in Park Farm. We’re frequently asked to cater big birthdays and family celebrations and christenings, serving mixed paella, vegetable paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
In a smaller place like Park Farm, a garden party is often the simplest option: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Let us know about access to the house. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and service is quick once it’s ready.
DIY paella versus live catering
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Planners, venues and businesses
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Why choose live paella in Park Farm?
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why us?
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Paella catering around Park Farm
Park Farm is about 1 mile south of Ashford, in Kent. Anywhere in TN23, we’ll come to your venue or garden. We cook in all 922 towns and villages in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Park Farm to Canterbury (14 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Michael, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Ashford Green Corridors? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Park Farm, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
This part of Kent takes in TN23 and TN25, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Whether your event is on Hawthorn Road, Snowbell Road and Redberry Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. If your venue is just outside Park Farm, we also cover Kingsnorth (1 mile south-west), Newtown (1 mile north-east), Stanhope (1 mile north-west), South Willesborough (1 mile north-east) and Finberry (1 mile east). Further out, we also cater in Canterbury (14 miles north-east), Folkestone (13 miles east), Faversham (13 miles north), Hythe (10 miles east), Davington (14 miles north) and Preston (13 miles north).
A little further out are William Harvey Hospital (2.4 miles north-east) and Ashford Designer Outlet (1.1 miles north). Not far away are Orlestone Forest.
- Local schools include John Wallis Academy (0.8 miles north-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find Queen's Head Public House (0.5 miles west)
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Places near Park Farm
Also in Park Farm
Questions from Park Farm
What’s the nearest station to Park Farm for guests?
Ashford International station, about 1.5 miles north of the centre.
Can you cook in Ashford Green Corridors?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
What happens with live paella?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Do you take everything away?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Is paella enough as a main?
Paella is a meal in itself. Many hosts add tapas first or dessert after.
Which paella is most popular?
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 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, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
The process
A typical event goes like this: we arrive, set up and start cooking, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it is served hot from the pan at the agreed time. Evenings in Park Farm 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.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
How to get a price
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Related guides
Occasions we cook for in Park Farm
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
Here are some of the events we cook for:
- Milestone birthday parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Naming days and family parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Kingsnorth Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Questions to ask before booking
- The deadline for final numbers
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- When payment is due
- The venue requirements
What we need at the venue
If a space isn’t suitable, we’ll tell you. What matters most:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Level ground for the pans and burners
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
Menu ideas
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Prices and what affects them
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The paellas you choose
- The length of service
- Starters, canapés and desserts
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Details that help
These details help us quote quickly:
- Where the event is
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and time of the event
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, use our quote form.
- 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