Kent · England
Paella Catering for Small Hythe events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Small Hythe: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Naming days and family parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Community events and fairs
Book paella catering in Small Hythe
Events we cater in Small Hythe
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Small Hythe and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Summer garden parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
Nearby historic houses include Smallhythe Place (less than half a mile south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
What your quote should include
- Space, access and power needs
- Whether travel is included
- If the price includes VAT
- How each diet is kept separate
Paella catering for your event in Small Hythe
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. We are frequently asked to cater milestone birthday parties and garden parties and summer barbecues, with black rice, paella Valenciana and chicken and chorizo paella.
In a small place like Small Hythe, events are generally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
Towns and villages near Small Hythe
More for events in Small Hythe
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why Small Hythe hosts choose us
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- A clear, itemised quote
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Read How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Diets, allergies and planning
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Count adults and children separately
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Mention any other courses or food
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If plans change, tell us and we’ll adjust.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
Catering an event in Small Hythe
Small Hythe is about 10 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. Events in Small Hythe are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cover 922 places in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 23 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre, can book us as a food stall. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St John the Baptist, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
We cover events in every part of the TN30 postcode area. We also cook at events in Broad Tenterden (1 mile north), Tenterden (2 miles north), Strood (2 miles north-west), Rolvenden Layne (3 miles west) and Rolvenden (3 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Ashford (10 miles north-east), Park Wood (15 miles north-west), Kennington (12 miles north-east), New Romney (11 miles east), Staplehurst (11 miles north-west) and Stanhope (9 miles north-east).
Nearby you will also find Benenden Hospital (4.8 miles north-west) and Smallhythe Place (within half a mile south). The countryside around Small Hythe includes Flatropers Wood.
FAQs for Small Hythe
How far is Small Hythe from London?
About 47 miles from central London.
We are having a ceremony at Church of St John the Baptist: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, on request. Proper crockery or quality disposables are available.
Which paellas suit our guests?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Can we choose the seafood?
We’ll talk through seafood options when we plan your menu, including premium options if you want them.
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.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.
Should I cook it myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Prices and what affects them
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- How many guests are eating
- Whether you need crockery
- How many courses
- The length of service
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Getting an accurate quote
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- Expected numbers
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
For planners, venues and organisers
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Organising a club, school or community event in Small Hythe? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
What happens on the day
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so the timing is planned around your event. Evenings in Small Hythe 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.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Get a quote
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Read more
What’s in the pans
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
- 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