Kent · England
Paella Catering for Staplehurst events
Looking for paella catering in Staplehurst? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement celebrations
Live paella catering in Staplehurst
How our paella catering works in Staplehurst
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. When it’s ready, it’s served straight from the pan. Whether it is staff parties and work lunches and garden parties and summer barbecues, we will put together a menu of chicken and chorizo paella, black rice and mixed paella for your guests.
In a smaller place like Staplehurst, a garden party is often the simplest option: no venue hire, and nobody stuck cooking. Let us know about access to the house. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
Planning for every diet
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Count adults and children separately
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can relax.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
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. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Who books paella catering in Staplehurst?
It is ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Retirement celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Staplehurst School, can book us as a food stall.
What to look for in a quote
- The venue requirements
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- When payment is due
- When final numbers are due
A closer look at the menu
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Space, weather and the venue
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before booking.
Why book with us
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Read Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Also near Staplehurst
Other catering in Staplehurst
Staplehurst questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at All Saints Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
What’s the nearest station to Staplehurst for guests?
Staplehurst has its own station: Staplehurst station.
Who clears up?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Is it really cooked live?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Do you do desserts?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
When do you arrive?
We get there in good time to set up. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Can you feed a lot of people?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
How it works
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. In Staplehurst, 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.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Tell us where to park and unload
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
For event organisers in Staplehurst
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Staplehurst? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Catering an event in Staplehurst
Staplehurst is about 7 miles south of Maidstone, in Kent. Give us the address of your event in Staplehurst, and we’ll plan access and set-up before the day. Staplehurst is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our events stretch from Staplehurst to Canterbury (about 24 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Staplehurst has its own station, Staplehurst station. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like All Saints Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Staplehurst, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cook at events all over the TN12 postcode area. That could mean an event in a garden on Station Road, High Street and North Down. Other places close to Staplehurst for paella catering include Hawkenbury (1 mile north-east), Marden Thorn (2 miles west), Cross-at-Hand (2 miles north), Wanshurst Green (2 miles north-west) and Sinkhurst Green (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (7 miles north), Ashford (14 miles east), Sittingbourne (15 miles north-east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (12 miles west), Tonbridge (12 miles west) and Kings Hill (10 miles north-west).
A little further out are Brattle Farm Museum (1 mile south-west) and Sissinghurst Castle (3.7 miles south).
- Nearby, you’ll find The Railway Tavern (under half a mile north)
- 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