Kent · England
Live paella catering in Stone Cross, Kent
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Stone Cross and across Kent.
- Retirement celebrations
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Milestone birthday parties
Paella catering near Stone Cross
What happens on the day
Serving is fast: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. When service is finished, we pack down. Around midsummer it stays light in Stone Cross until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening events are usually served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, tell us about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
How to prepare
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Ask for a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Paella catering in Stone Cross, made fresh on the day
One cooking area feeds a lot of people, there is very little waste, and the food is served hot. It is why live paella suits so many kinds of event. We’re frequently asked to cater christenings and family gatherings and anniversary celebrations, with vegan paella, paella Valenciana and seafood paella.
Somewhere as small as Stone Cross, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. You will know exactly what’s included before you book: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
Stone Cross: venues, travel and local tips
Stone Cross is about 4 miles south of Ashford, in Kent. Wherever your event is in the TN25 area, we will come to your venue or garden. Stone Cross is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 15 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Ham Street station, about 2.3 miles south-west. Stone Cross is within about 7 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cook at events all over TN25 and the streets around it. We can cater an event on streets such as Stone Cross Road and Frith Road or the roads around them. For events just outside Stone Cross, we cover Bromley Green (2 miles west), Ruckinge (2 miles south), Orlestone (2 miles south-west), Hamstreet (2 miles south-west) and Kenardington (4 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Ashford (4 miles north), Canterbury (15 miles north-east), Folkestone (12 miles east), Faversham (15 miles north), Hythe (8 miles east) and Preston (15 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include William Harvey Hospital (3.5 miles north) and Ashford Designer Outlet (3.1 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Orlestone Forest.
For planners, venues and organisers
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
If you are organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Planning the cooking area
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Stone Cross
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
Should I cook it myself?
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 for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Places near Stone Cross
Other catering in Stone Cross
Paella compared with other options
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why us?
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Drinks service on request
- Real theatre, not just catering
Read Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
Events we cater in Stone Cross
People book live paella because it’s food and entertainment at once. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food is hot and generous.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Stone Cross and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Anniversary celebrations
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Garden get-togethers
Parks such as Poulton Wood typically need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
What to look for in a quote
- Who provides the crockery
- The deadline for final numbers
- What happens if it rains
- Whether VAT is included
Catering for every guest
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Try these:
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Count adults and children separately
- Put allergy details in writing
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal.
Prices and what affects them
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, because of:
- How many guests are eating
- The paellas you choose
- The length of service
- Distance and access to the venue
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
What we need to know
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Where the event is
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Roughly how many adults and children
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Stone Cross questions
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Is Stone Cross too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
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 can plan it carefully.
What do you need at the venue?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
How many different paellas?
Typically two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria can be added, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Do you come to Stone Cross?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and Stone Cross is within our area and the rest of Kent. For a quote, use our quote form.
- 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