Kent · England
Paella Catering in Sholden Meadows
Planning paella catering in Sholden Meadows? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Community events and fairs
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Paella catering for Sholden Meadows events
Paella catering in Sholden Meadows, made fresh on the day
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields in and around Sholden Meadows. We are often asked to cater family celebrations and christenings and retirement and leaving parties, serving black rice, vegetable paella and seafood paella.
In a rural place like Sholden Meadows, the setting does plenty of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. We plan the timings around your day, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
How the day works
Here’s how the day usually runs: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and it’s served hot from the pan when you’re ready to eat. Evenings in Sholden Meadows stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
How to prepare
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Getting a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you are ready, send us your details through our quote form.
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Catering an event in Sholden Meadows
Sholden Meadows is about 1 mile north-west of Deal, in Kent. We bring paella catering to gardens, halls and venues around Sholden Meadows and nearby villages. Sholden Meadows is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Sholden Meadows to Canterbury (about 13 miles away).
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Sholden Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Deal station, about 1.3 miles east. Sholden Meadows is within about 2 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
We cover events in every part of CT14 and the streets around it. Your event could be at a home on Bargrave Lane, Wyborn Drive and Banks Way. If your venue is just outside Sholden Meadows, we also cover Sholden (1 mile east), Great Mongeham (1 mile south-west), Mill Hill (1 mile south), Deal (1 mile south-east) and Finglesham (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Canterbury (13 miles west), Margate (11 miles north), Dover (7 miles south-west), Folkestone (13 miles south-west), Ramsgate (8 miles north) and Broadstairs (10 miles north).
A little further out are Deal Castle (1.5 miles east) and Kent Museum of the Moving Image (1.3 miles east). Not far away are Monk's Wall nature reserve.
- Nearby schools include Castle Community College (1.1 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include The Magnet pub (0.7 miles south-east)
Catering for every guest
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Tell us what else is being served
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
Also near Sholden Meadows
Also in Sholden Meadows
What we need at the venue
We’ll be honest if a space won’t work, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
What we offer
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
Dishes our guests love
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it’s often the first pan to empty.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
Perfect for your event in Sholden Meadows
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, thanks to separate pans for each version. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Sholden Meadows and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
Parks such as Betteshanger Park typically need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
What your quote should include
- How late numbers can change
- What the price includes, item by item
- VAT, if it applies
- The venue requirements
Working with your venue
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Paella compared with other options
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and typically costs more per head. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
What you get with us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- A clear, itemised quote
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Fast service from the pan
Read Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Common questions in Sholden Meadows
Do you come out to small places like Sholden Meadows?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Nicholas: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Who clears up?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
How does live paella catering work?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and it’s cooked separately.
What space do you need to cook?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan for them.
Are premium seafood options available?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu, including premium options if you want them.
- 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