Kent · England
Paella Catering in Stanhope
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Stanhope and across Kent.
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Summer garden parties
Book paella catering in Stanhope
Common questions in Stanhope
Could we have live paella in Ashford Community Woodland?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
What’s the nearest station to Stanhope for guests?
Ashford International station, about 1.2 miles north-east of the centre.
Which paellas suit our guests?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is typically the most popular, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Can you feed a lot of people?
It is ideal. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
What space do you need to cook?
Less than you might think: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a photo.
Do you bring everything you need?
All cooking kit comes with us. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
Is paella enough as a main?
It is a full meal on its own. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Paella catering in Stanhope, cooked live
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. Once it’s ready, we serve it hot from the pan. On the menu are paella Valenciana, black rice and vegan paella, and typical bookings are for milestone birthday parties and staff parties and work lunches.
Around Stanhope, events are often in gardens, local halls or nearby venues. If the road in is narrow, tell us so we can plan the van. You will know exactly what’s included before booking: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose, with no surprises on the day.
Working with your venue
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Step by step
Service is quick: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. Planning an evening event in Stanhope? Sunset is around 8:45pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Before we arrive
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Ask for a quote
Send us the date, your venue or TN23 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
What affects the price in Stanhope
The price comes down to a few factors:
- How many staff you need
- How long we are needed on site
- The number of people
- Distance and access to the venue
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Details that help
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- A picture of the space, if you can
- The address or venue name
- Anything your venue supplies
- Expected numbers
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will put together a menu and price.
Also near Stanhope
What else we do in Stanhope
Is live paella right for your event?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why book with us
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- A clear, itemised quote
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.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Tell us what else is being served
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Catering an event in Stanhope
Stanhope is about 1 mile south-west of Ashford, in Kent. We bring paella catering to gardens, halls and venues around Stanhope. Stanhope is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Stanhope to Canterbury (14 miles away).
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Ashford Community Woodland? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. For a christening or wedding at a church such as St. Francis, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Stanhope is within about 6 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Here we cover the TN23 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. We can cater an event on streets such as Green Lane, Cryol Road and Athol Road or the roads around them. Close by, we cover events in Ashford (1 mile north-east), Park Farm (1 mile south-east), Kingsnorth (1 mile south), Newtown (1 mile east) and Great Chart (1 mile north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Canterbury (14 miles north-east), Folkestone (14 miles east), Faversham (13 miles north), Hythe (11 miles south-east), Davington (13 miles north) and Preston (12 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include William Harvey Hospital (2.7 miles east) and Ashford Designer Outlet (1.1 miles east). The countryside around Stanhope includes Orlestone Forest.
- Nearby schools include John Wallis Academy (less than half a mile south)
- Nearby, you will find The Beaver Inn (0.6 miles north-east)
Perfect for your event in Stanhope
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.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Garden get-togethers
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Beaver Green Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- The deadline for final numbers
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Space, access and power needs
- When payment is due
A closer look at the menu
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
- 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