Kent · England
Live paella catering in Preston, Kent
Love Paella cooks live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Preston and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Company summer parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Leaving dos and retirements
Live paella catering in Preston
About our paella catering in Preston
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is what we bring to events in Preston. We are often asked to cater christenings and family gatherings and anniversaries and engagement parties, with chicken and chorizo paella, seafood paella and black rice.
In a smaller place like Preston, a garden party is often the simplest option: no venue hire, and nobody stuck cooking. Let us know about access to the house. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan.
Preston: venues, travel and local tips
Preston is about 7 miles south-west of Whitstable, in Kent. Give us the address of your event in Preston, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up. Preston is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 8 miles away.
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like The Abbey School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For guests coming by train, Faversham station is in Preston itself.
Wherever your event is in ME13, we can bring paella catering to you. From Back Lane, Quay Lane and Park Road or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. Being close to the A2 and A251, Preston is easy for us to reach for your event. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Faversham (1 mile north-west), The Brents (1 mile north), Davington (1 mile north-west), Ospringe (1 mile west) and Whitehill (1 mile south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Ashford (12 miles south), Canterbury (8 miles east), Sittingbourne (7 miles west), Whitstable (7 miles north-east), Herne Bay (11 miles east) and Minster (8 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Newnham Castle (4.3 miles south-west).
- Local schools include Ethelbert Road Primary School (under half a mile west)
- Local pubs include The Elephant pub (under half a mile west)
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 leave the rice alone once it’s in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Planning the cooking area
If a space isn’t suitable, we’ll tell you, and help find another spot. The main points are:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
On the menu in Preston
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
Towns and villages near Preston
More for events in Preston
Planners, venues and businesses
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Preston? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll talk you through the process. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If timings shift, we adapt.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, so everyone can eat at the same time. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why Preston hosts choose us
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Take a look at Our pricing And The cost guide.
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is typically served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Preston questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Catherine's Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook in Oare Meadow?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Do you cover Preston?
Yes. We cater across London and the South East, and Preston is within our area. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
Do you do starters?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
How the day works
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 we time everything to your schedule. Around midsummer it stays light in Preston until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, 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, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Getting a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. Just use our quote form.
Read more
Perfect for your event in Preston
It is ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, with guests mingling as it cooks before sitting down to eat.
In Preston and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
Nearby historic houses include Belmont House and Gardens (3.3 miles south-west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one.
What to look for in a quote
- The deposit and payment dates
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- What happens if it rains
- Allergen information for each dish
- 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