Kent · England
Paella Catering in Smeeth
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Smeeth and across Kent.
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Paella catering in Smeeth
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
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. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Paella catering for your event in Smeeth
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the smell does the rest. Whether it is anniversary celebrations and fairs, fêtes and festivals, we can cook black rice, vegan paella and chicken and chorizo paella and more.
In a rural place like Smeeth, the setting does plenty of the work: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. You’ll know exactly what’s included before booking: the menu, the staff and any extras.
Live paella in Smeeth: local details
Smeeth is about 5 miles east of Ashford, in Kent. For an event in Smeeth, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Smeeth is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 12 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Westenhanger Castle (3.4 miles south-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Westenhanger station, about 3.6 miles south-east. Smeeth is within about 5 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Paella catering in TN25 is planned around your venue. Your event could be at a home on Church Road, Caroland Close and Woolpack Hill or the roads around them. Nearby, we also cater events in Ridgeway (1 mile west), Brabourne Lees (1 mile north-east), Lilyvale (1 mile south-east), Bircholt Forstal (1 mile north-east) and Stone Hill (1 mile south-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Ashford (5 miles west), Canterbury (12 miles north-east), Dover (14 miles east), Folkestone (9 miles east), Faversham (14 miles north) and Hythe (6 miles south-east).
A little further out are Lympne Castle (4.2 miles south-east) and William Harvey Hospital (2.6 miles north-west). Open spaces near Smeeth include Hatch Park.
What happens on the day
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. In Smeeth, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
How to get a price
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, use our quote form.
Planning help
How we price paella catering
These are the factors that matter most:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
- The number of people
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
Getting an accurate quote
To speed things up, tell us:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The courses you’d like
- Your date and when you want to eat
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Working with your venue
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
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. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Smeeth
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Events in Smeeth and across Kent
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
See Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Space, weather and the venue
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before you book.
What we offer
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
Perfect for your event in Smeeth
People book live paella because it’s food and entertainment at once. The pans become a focal point, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Company summer parties
- Milestone birthday parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Summer garden parties
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
What your quote should include
- How each diet is kept separate
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- The deposit and payment dates
Common questions in Smeeth
Which station should guests use for Smeeth?
Westenhanger station, about 3.6 miles south-east of the centre.
Is Smeeth close to London?
Roughly 53 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
What areas do you cover?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
How does live paella catering work?
We set up a cooking area at your venue, cook the paella from scratch in large pans while your guests watch, and serve it straight from the pan.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain doesn’t stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
Catering for every guest
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Mention any other courses or food
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we time it carefully. If timings shift, we adapt.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago, or serve your own cake.
Nearby places to Smeeth
Other catering in Smeeth
- 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