Kent · England
Live paella catering in Scragged Oak, Kent
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Scragged Oak.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
Live paella catering in Scragged Oak
Who books paella catering in Scragged Oak?
People book live paella because it is food and entertainment at once. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
For guests coming by train, Bearsted station is about 3.2 miles away.
What to look for in a quote
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Space, access and power needs
- What happens if it rains
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
How our paella catering works in Scragged Oak
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, there’s very little waste, and the food is served hot. It’s why live paella suits so many kinds of event. Popular choices include seafood paella, paella Valenciana and chicken and chorizo paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater retirement celebrations and summer garden parties.
In a rural place like Scragged Oak, the setting does plenty of the work: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
What happens on the day
Watching it cook is half the fun. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. Around midsummer it stays light in Scragged Oak until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, 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.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Before we arrive
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Get a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Scragged Oak: your questions answered
Could we have live paella in Levan Strice?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Is Scragged Oak close to London?
About 32 miles from central London.
How much does paella catering cost in Scragged Oak?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Does paella work for big events?
Yes. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
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?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a photo.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Prices and what affects them
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- How many guests are eating
- Waiting and bar staff
- Distance and access to the venue
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Getting an accurate quote
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- The venue or postcode
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Which courses you have in mind
- Your date and when you want to eat
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
Is live paella right for your event?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why us?
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- We cover Scragged Oak and the whole of Kent
- Fast service from the pan
- Live cooking, not reheated food
Take a look at Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Paella catering around Scragged Oak
Scragged Oak is about 3 miles south-east of Chatham, in Kent. We cater events at gardens, halls and venues around Scragged Oak. We cover 922 places in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 21 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Stoneacre (4.8 miles south). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Levan Strice? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Scragged Oak, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cover events in every part of the ME14 postcode area and the streets around it. Close by, we cover events in Lower Cox Street (1 mile south-east), Kemsley Street (1 mile north), Bredhurst (1 mile north-west), Dunn Street (1 mile north-west) and Lidsing (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (5 miles south-west), Sittingbourne (6 miles east), Gravesend (12 miles north-west), Faversham (13 miles east), Northfleet (13 miles north-west) and Minster (11 miles north-east).
Nearby you will also find Allington Castle (3.8 miles south-west) and KIMS hospital (2.8 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Detling Hill and Burham Down.
Planning for every diet
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Request clear labels at the serving table
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we serve when guests are ready.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Space, weather and the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think.
What we offer
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Places near Scragged Oak
What else we do in Scragged Oak
Organising for someone else?
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Scragged Oak? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
- 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