Greater London · England
Paella Catering for St Paul's Cray events
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in St Paul's Cray. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Birthday celebrations
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Leaving dos and retirements
Paella catering for St Paul's Cray events
About our paella catering in St Paul's Cray
Watching it cook is part of the experience. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the aroma does the rest. We are frequently asked to cater naming days and family parties and weddings and evening receptions, serving paella Valenciana, black rice and seafood paella.
Around St Paul's Cray, most London events we’re asked about are in gardens, courtyards and hired venues. The thing to plan is parking and unloading, so tell us about permits, bays or a driveway when you ask for a quote. Timings are planned around your event, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Area
- St Paul's Cray (BR5, BR7)
- Region
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Planners, venues and businesses
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
What we need at the venue
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
As a London location, St Paul's Cray is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before you book.
Menu ideas
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
Nearby places to St Paul's Cray
Also in St Paul's Cray
How it works
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. Planning an evening event in St Paul's Cray? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Getting ready for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
Ask for a quote
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Occasions we cook for in St Paul's Cray
It needs no kitchen, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Summer garden parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Staff parties and work lunches
Parks such as Chislehurst Common typically need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
Before booking anyone
- Travel and parking costs
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- If the price includes VAT
- Staff numbers and hours
Questions from St Paul's Cray
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
Is parking a problem for events in St Paul's Cray?
It can be, so tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway. We’ll plan unloading around it.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
How many different paellas?
Two or three covers most guests. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
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.
Do you come to St Paul's Cray?
Yes. We cater across London and the South East, and St Paul's Cray is within our area and the rest of Greater London. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Tell us what else is being served. See how much paella per person.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, so everyone can eat at the same time. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why book with us
- Drinks service on request
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Fast service from the pan
- Catering across Greater London, including St Paul's Cray
Catering for every guest
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Put allergy details in writing
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Count adults and children separately
- Mention any other courses or food
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue does not provide them.
Should I cook it myself?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
What paella catering costs
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- How long we are needed on site
- Travel, parking and access
- How many courses
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What to tell us
These details help us quote quickly:
- Expected numbers
- The date and rough timings
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
Planning paella catering in St Paul's Cray? Send us the details and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, send us your details through our quote form.
Catering an event in St Paul's Cray
St Paul's Cray is about 1 mile north of Orpington, in Greater London. Anywhere in BR5, we can bring the pans to you. St Paul's Cray is one of 764 towns and villages in Greater London where we cook. You can also see our page for London, about 11 miles away.
For guests coming by train, St Mary Cray station is in St Paul's Cray itself. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Leesons Primary School, can book us as a food stall. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 6 miles of St Paul's Cray. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in BR5 and BR7 is planned around your venue and timings. Whether your event is on Main Road, Murray Road and Rushet Road or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. If your venue is just outside St Paul's Cray, we also cover St Mary Cray (1 mile south), Poverest (1 mile south), Derry Downs (1 mile south), Orpington (1 mile south) and Kevington (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover London (11 miles north-west), City of Westminster (14 miles north-west), Marylebone (14 miles north-west), Kensington (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (13 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (12 miles north-west).
A little further out are Lullingstone Castle (4.8 miles south-east) and London Borough of Bromley Museum (1.5 miles south). The countryside around St Paul's Cray includes The Warren and Summer Hill.
- Local schools include Walsingham School (less than half a mile north) and Kemnal Technology College (0.9 miles north)
- Nearby, you will find The Blue Anchor Public House (0.5 miles south-east)
- 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