Kent · England
Live paella catering in Smarden Bell, Kent
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Smarden Bell. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Birthday celebrations
Paella catering in Smarden Bell
How our paella catering works in Smarden Bell
Keep it simple, or go all out: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We will recommend what fits your event. Typical bookings include milestone birthday parties and retirement celebrations, with paella Valenciana, mixed paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
In a rural place like Smarden Bell, the setting does a lot of the work: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
Planners, venues and businesses
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
If you are organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
What paella catering costs
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- The number of people
- How many courses
- The length of service
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
What to tell us
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- The venue or postcode
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Planning paella catering in Smarden Bell? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Live paella in Smarden Bell: local details
Smarden Bell is about 9 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. From the centre of Smarden Bell to the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Smarden Bell is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 20 miles away.
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Michael, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Smarden Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Smarden Bell. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cater events across TN27. From Bell Lane and Headcorn Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. For events just outside Smarden Bell, we cover Swift's Green (1 mile north), Smarden (1 mile south-east), Biddenden Green (1 mile east), Monk's Hill (1 mile south) and Lashenden (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (10 miles north-west), Ashford (9 miles east), Sittingbourne (13 miles north), Faversham (14 miles north-east), Kings Hill (14 miles north-west) and Davington (14 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Romden Castle (1.8 miles south-east) and Kent Firefighting Museum (2.8 miles south-west).
- Pubs nearby include The Bell Inn (less than half a mile south)
The process
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. In Smarden Bell, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are usually served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
How to prepare
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Tell us where to park and unload
Get a quote
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. To start, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Places near Smarden Bell
Other catering in Smarden Bell
Perfect for your event in Smarden Bell
It is ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We often cook for:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Family celebrations and christenings
For guests coming by train, Headcorn station is about 2 miles away.
What to look for in a quote
- Space, access and power needs
- How long the team stays
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- VAT, if it applies
Catering for every guest
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Have seats for most of your guests
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
FAQs for Smarden Bell
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Michael?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you come out to small places like Smarden Bell?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
Do you cater in Smarden Bell?
We do. Smarden Bell is one of the places we cover. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Which paella is most popular?
Two or three is usual: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. See the sample menu.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a photo.
Can you feed a lot of people?
It’s ideal. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, because each paella has its own pan. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before you book.
Why Smarden Bell hosts choose us
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Catering across Kent, including Smarden Bell
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
Take a look at How we price And What paella catering costs.
- 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