Kent · England
Paella Catering in Stelling Minnis
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Stelling Minnis.
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Summer garden parties
- Company summer parties
Paella catering in Stelling Minnis
Paella catering in Stelling Minnis, made fresh on the day
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. Once it is ready, we serve it hot from the pan. We’re often asked to cater company summer parties and weddings, from canapés to evening food, with mixed paella, black rice and paella Valenciana.
In a small place like Stelling Minnis, events are typically in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, not reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Live paella in Stelling Minnis: local details
Stelling Minnis is about 6 miles south of Canterbury, in Kent. We bring paella catering to gardens, halls and venues around Stelling Minnis and the surrounding area. We cover all 922 towns and villages in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 6 miles away.
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Mary, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Spong Wood? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. Stelling Minnis is within about 3 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.
For paella catering in CT4, we plan around your venue and timings. From Bossingham Road, Ponycart Lane and Minnis Lane or a nearby road, we can cook there. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Bossingham (1 mile north-east), Waltham (2 miles west), Rhodes Minnis (3 miles south), Stowting Common (3 miles south-west) and Ottinge (3 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Ashford (9 miles west), Canterbury (6 miles north), Dover (11 miles east), Folkestone (8 miles south-east), Whitstable (12 miles north) and Deal (14 miles east).
Nearby you will also find Kent and Canterbury Hospital (5.6 miles north).
What we need at the venue
We will be honest if a space won’t work. What matters most:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we offer
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
The process
We get there well before serving, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Guests generally gather round to watch as the paella takes shape. Evenings in Stelling Minnis stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Getting ready for the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Share the running order, including any speeches
How to get a price
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Read more
Diets, allergies and planning
With a little notice, every diet is easy. We suggest:
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
Why choose paella catering in Stelling Minnis?
There’s no kitchen needed, so it is at home in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Stelling Minnis:
- Summer garden parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Big birthdays
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Stelling Minnis Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Comparing caterers
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- What happens if it rains
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- Staff numbers and hours
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
How we price paella catering
Every event is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Travel, parking and access
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- The number of people
Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
What we need to know
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- A photo of the space, if you can
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Nearby places to Stelling Minnis
Also in Stelling Minnis
Questions from Stelling Minnis
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Mary: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you come out to small places like Stelling Minnis?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Are premium seafood options available?
Tell us your preferences and we’ll suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Which paella is most popular?
Most events choose two or three: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. See the sample menu.
How many different paellas?
Two or three is usual: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Can paella be the only main course?
Paella is a meal in itself. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Why choose live paella in Stelling Minnis?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Why us?
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Fast service from the pan
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- 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