Kent · England
Paella Catering in Ridley
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Ridley. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Summer garden parties
Live paella catering in Ridley
How it works
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Guests usually gather round to watch as the paella takes shape. In Ridley, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
How to get a price
To get a price, fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning help
How our paella catering works in Ridley
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. When it’s ready, it is served straight from the pan. We cook vegan paella, paella Valenciana and mixed paella, and typical bookings are for company summer parties and christenings and family gatherings.
Somewhere as small as Ridley, a garden or field is often the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. You will know exactly what’s included before you book: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a paella that stands on its own. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Let us know about other food at the event
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Sangria and bar staff can be added for your own drinks.
Why choose paella catering in Ridley?
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food is hot and generous.
In Ridley and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Community events and fairs
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Anniversary celebrations
For guests coming by train, Meopham station is about 2.6 miles away.
Comparing caterers
- A clear list of what’s included
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
Your questions about paella catering in Ridley
What’s the nearest station to Ridley for guests?
The closest is Meopham station, roughly 2.6 miles away.
Is Ridley close to London?
Roughly 21 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Tell us your date and numbers for a clear quote.
What seafood can we have?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu.
Is paella a full meal?
It can be. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main, and tapas or dessert can be added.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan for them.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Also near Ridley
What else we do in Ridley
Live paella or other catering?
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, because each paella has its own pan. It is served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Why book with us
- Drinks service on request
- Fast service from the pan
- A clear, itemised quote
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
Take a look at Our pricing Or What paella catering costs.
Where we can cook in Ridley
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Popular choices
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
Should I cook it myself?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
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.
Planners, venues and businesses
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Live paella in Ridley: local details
Ridley is about 6 miles south of Northfleet, in Kent. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Ridley and nearby villages. Ridley is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. Our events stretch from Ridley to London (21 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Cobham College (4 miles north-east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Meopham School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Ridley is within about 7 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Paella catering in TN15 is planned around your venue and your guests. If your venue is just outside Ridley, we also cover New Street (1 mile east), Hodsoll Street (1 mile south), South Street (1 mile east), New Ash Green (1 mile north-west) and Culverstone Green (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (11 miles south-east), Dartford (8 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (8 miles south-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (15 miles south), Gravesend (6 miles north-east) and Tonbridge (11 miles south).
A little further out are Ightham Court (4.4 miles south) and Coldrum Long Barrow (3.1 miles south-east).
- 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