Kent · England
Live paella catering in Sturry, Kent
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Sturry: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Staff parties and work lunches
Planning an event in Sturry?
Paella catering in Sturry, cooked live
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the aroma does the rest. Whether it’s anniversary celebrations and christenings and family gatherings, we can cook seafood paella, black rice and chicken and chorizo paella for your guests.
Around Sturry, events are often in gardens, local halls or nearby venues. If the road in is narrow, tell us so we can plan the van. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it’s hot and generous, and service is quick once it is ready.
Paella catering around Sturry
Sturry is about 3 miles north-east of Canterbury, in Kent. Whether your event is in the middle of Sturry or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cook in 922 places across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Chequer's Wood and Old Park? Public parks usually need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Sturry Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Sturry is within about 5 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Anywhere in CT2, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Streets in the area include High Street, Park View and Link Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. If your venue is just outside Sturry, we also cover Broad Oak (1 mile west), Westbere (1 mile east), Calcott (1 mile north), Hersden (2 miles east) and Hicks Forstal (2 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Canterbury (3 miles south-west), Margate (12 miles north-east), Dover (14 miles south-east), Folkestone (15 miles south), Ramsgate (13 miles east) and Broadstairs (14 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Canterbury Roman Museum (2.6 miles south-west) and St Martins Hospital (2.1 miles south). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
- Local schools include Spires Academy (1.1 miles east) and Frank Montgomery School (1.2 miles east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Swan Inn (less than half a mile south)
Your questions about paella catering in Sturry
Can you cook in Chequer's Wood and Old Park?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
We are having a ceremony at St Nicholas' Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
What happens with live paella?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve when you’re ready to eat.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
Will there be enough food?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Accurate numbers help.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Is paella a full meal?
Yes. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main.
Organising for someone else?
If you’re organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Live paella or other catering?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
What you get with us
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Catering across Kent, including Sturry
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Served hot, straight from the pan
Read How we price Or What paella catering costs.
What’s in the pans
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together, and it is often the first pan to empty.
Prices and what affects them
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Travel, parking and access
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- How many staff you need
- Your choice of paellas
Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We will send you a quote.
Details that help
These details help us quote quickly:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The courses you’d like
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Tell us about your event in Sturry, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
How it works
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so the timing is planned around your event. Around midsummer it stays light in Sturry until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Let us know the timings for the day
Get a quote
It is easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Read more
Towns and villages near Sturry
Other catering in Sturry
Planning for every diet
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Tell us what else is being served
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Give us separate numbers for children
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can enjoy your guests.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue doesn’t provide them.
Should I cook it myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Before you choose a spot
We will be honest if a space will not work. The main points are:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Sturry
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- 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