Kent · England
Live paella catering in Southfleet, Kent
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Southfleet: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Community events and fairs
- Retirement celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
Planning an event in Southfleet?
For planners, venues and organisers
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
How our paella catering works in Southfleet
Watching it cook is part of the experience. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the smell does the rest. Whether it’s garden get-togethers and fairs, fêtes and festivals, we will put together a menu of vegetable paella, seafood paella and mixed paella for your guests.
Somewhere like Southfleet, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. You will know exactly what’s included before booking: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
Nearby places to Southfleet
More for events in Southfleet
Step by step
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan at the agreed time. Around midsummer it stays light in Southfleet until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, 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.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
How to prepare
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Ask for a quote
Send us the date, your venue or DA13 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Live paella or other catering?
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. 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.
Why us?
- A clear, itemised quote
- Drinks service on request
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
See Our prices page Or The cost guide.
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is typically served with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
What paella catering costs
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, because of:
- The number of people
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
What we need to know
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Anything your venue supplies
- The date and time of the event
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
Planning paella catering in Southfleet? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Your questions about paella catering in Southfleet
How far is Southfleet from London?
About 19 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Nicholas?
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.
How much paella per person?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three is usual: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will help you decide the split.
Can you cater for children?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is normally popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
Are premium seafood options available?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu.
Is paella a full meal?
It is a full meal on its own. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
Live paella in Southfleet: local details
Southfleet is about 2 miles south-west of Northfleet, in Kent. For paella catering in Southfleet, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. We cook in all 922 towns and villages in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Southfleet to London (about 19 miles away).
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Longfield Chalk Bank? Public parks normally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Longfield station, about 1.5 miles south-west.
This part of Kent takes in DA13. Whether your event is on Red Street, Gloxinia Road and Brakefield Road or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. Other places close to Southfleet for paella catering include Hook Green (1 mile south-west), Northfleet Green (1 mile east), Betsham (1 mile north-west), Painters Ash (1 mile north-east) and Springhead (1 mile north). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (13 miles south-east), Dartford (5 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (11 miles south-west), Gravesend (3 miles north-east), Tonbridge (15 miles south) and Swanley (7 miles west).
A little further out are Gravesham Community Hospital (2.7 miles north-east) and Bluewater (2.9 miles north-west). Open spaces near Southfleet include Sawyers Lake.
- Nearby schools include Northfleet School for Girls (1.3 miles north-east)
- Pubs nearby include Black Lion pub (within half a mile south-west)
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Tell us what else is being served
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If timings shift, we adapt.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Events we cater in Southfleet
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, thanks to separate pans for each version. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Southfleet book us for occasions like:
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Garden get-togethers
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Sedley's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- Who provides the crockery
- What the price includes, item by item
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- VAT, if it applies
- 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