Kent · England
Live paella catering in Pluckley Thorne, Kent
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Pluckley Thorne: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Book paella catering in Pluckley Thorne
Live paella or other catering?
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and normally costs more per head. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What you get with us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Paella catering in Pluckley Thorne, made fresh on the day
Watching it cook is part of the experience. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the smell does the rest. For summer garden parties and office lunches and staff parties, we can cook vegetable paella, seafood paella and mixed paella.
Somewhere as small as Pluckley Thorne, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
Planning live paella in Pluckley Thorne
Pluckley Thorne is about 6 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. For an event in Pluckley Thorne, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. We cover all 922 towns and villages across Kent. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 16 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Pluckley station is about 1 mile away. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Pluckley Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Pluckley Thorne is within about 8 miles of the Kent Downs 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 TN27, we can cook for your guests. From Smarden Road and Lambden Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Nearby, we also cater events in Fir Toll (1 mile south-east), Pluckley (1 mile north-east), Chambers' Green (1 mile south), Mundy Bois (1 mile north-west) and Newland Green (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (12 miles north-west), Ashford (6 miles east), Sittingbourne (12 miles north), Faversham (12 miles north-east), Davington (12 miles north-east) and Foley Park (12 miles north-west).
Nearby you will also find Romden Castle (2.2 miles south-west).
- Local pubs include The Black Horse Inn (0.5 miles north-east)
Dietary needs and planning tips
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Count adults and children separately
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Tell us what else is being served
Paella is best eaten as soon as it is ready, so we serve when guests are ready.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Towns and villages near Pluckley Thorne
Also in Pluckley Thorne
For planners, venues and organisers
Organising a club, school or community event in Pluckley Thorne? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
Should I cook it myself?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
About the dishes
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It’s the pan people photograph.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Step by step
The paella is cooked in giant, shallow pans over gas burners. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, which we agree with you beforehand. In Pluckley Thorne, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- 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
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
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. You can fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Before you choose a spot
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we offer
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
Questions from Pluckley Thorne
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Nicholas?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
How far is Pluckley Thorne from London?
Roughly 43 miles from the centre of London.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in its own pan.
What about pudding?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Tell us what you have in mind when you ask for a quote.
How long do you need on site?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We will agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you.
How many paellas should we have?
Most events have two or three: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We’ll suggest a split based on your guests.
Do you cater in Pluckley Thorne?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including Pluckley Thorne. To check your date, send us your details through our quote form.
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.
What paella catering costs
These are the factors that matter most:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- How long we are needed on site
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
What we need to know
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- Expected numbers
- The date and rough timings
- The venue or postcode
- A picture of where we’d cook
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, 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