Kent · England
Paella Catering in Pootings
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Pootings. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Live paella catering in Pootings
Live paella in Pootings: local details
Pootings is about 6 miles south-west of Sevenoaks, in Kent. For paella catering in Pootings, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cater in 922 places in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for London, about 20 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Edenbridge station, about 1.4 miles south-west. Historic houses near Pootings include Chartwell (1.4 miles north) and Quebec House (3 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
We cater events across the TN8 postcode area. Close by, we cover events in Four Elms (1 mile south-east), Crockham Hill (1 mile north-west), Puddledock (1 mile north-east), Mowshurst (1 mile south) and Marlpit Hill (1 mile south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Sevenoaks (6 miles north-east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (10 miles south-east), Tonbridge (9 miles east), Swanley (13 miles north), Kings Hill (14 miles east) and Paddock Wood (14 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Tandridge Priory (3.1 miles north-west) and Haxted Watermill Museum (3.2 miles south-west). Open spaces near Pootings include Dryhill Nature Reserve and Betsom's Hill.
Paella catering in Pootings, made fresh on the day
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the smell does the rest. On the menu are chicken and chorizo paella, seafood paella and vegetable paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater retirement celebrations and weddings and evening receptions.
In a small place like Pootings, events are usually in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
What affects the price in Pootings
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Parking and unloading
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The paellas you choose
- How many guests are eating
The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
What to tell us
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- The date and rough timings
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Roughly how many adults and children
- What the venue already provides
Planning paella catering in Pootings? Send us the details and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. To contact us, use our quote form.
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Let us know about other food at the event
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Your questions about paella catering in Pootings
Is Pootings close to London?
About 20 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
What’s the nearest station to Pootings for guests?
Edenbridge station, about 1.4 miles south-west of the centre.
Do you do starters?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll make a plan B with you.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Pootings.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and it’s cooked separately.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is typically popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
Will there be enough food?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Places near Pootings
Other catering in Pootings
Paella compared with other options
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why book with us
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Fast service from the pan
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Take a look at How we price Or What paella catering costs.
DIY paella versus live catering
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
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.
About the dishes
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a paella that stands on its own. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
How the day works
Your timings come first. If things run behind, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is served at its best. Evenings in Pootings stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Get in touch 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.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
How to prepare
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Tell us when you want to eat
Get a quote
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Somewhere close to park and unload
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
Why choose paella catering in Pootings?
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks and then sit down to share.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Pootings:
- Big birthdays
- Community events and fairs
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Office lunches and staff parties
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Congregational Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Before booking anyone
- Travel and parking costs
- Allergen information for each dish
- When final numbers are due
- Space, access and power needs
- 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