Kent · England
Paella Catering for Swanley events
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Swanley and across Kent.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Birthday celebrations
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Planning an event in Swanley?
How our paella catering works in Swanley
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. When it is ready, it is served straight from the pan. For anniversary celebrations and birthday celebrations, we can cook mixed paella, vegetable paella and chicken and chorizo paella for your guests.
Around Swanley, events are frequently in gardens, local halls or nearby venues. If the road in is narrow, tell us so we can plan the van. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
Planning live paella in Swanley
Swanley is about 3 miles east of Orpington, in Kent. Events in Swanley are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cover 922 places in Kent. Our events stretch from Swanley to London (14 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Swanley has its own station, Swanley station. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Swanley is within about 5 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Wherever your event is in BR8, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. That could mean an event in a garden on London Road, Station Road and High Street. You will find Swanley on the A20 and B258, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. If your venue is just outside Swanley, we also cover Crockenhill (1 mile south-west), Kevington (2 miles south-west), Derry Downs (3 miles west), St Mary Cray (3 miles west) and St Paul's Cray (3 miles west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Dartford (4 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (8 miles south), Gravesend (9 miles east), Tonbridge (14 miles south), Northfleet (8 miles east) and Kings Hill (13 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include London Borough of Bromley Museum (3.2 miles south-west) and Queen Mary's Hospital (3.4 miles north-west). Open spaces near Swanley include The Warren and Summer Hill.
- Nearby schools include Orchards Academy (under half a mile west)
More for events in Swanley
Who books paella catering in Swanley?
Live paella is made for outdoor events: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St Mary the Virgin, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
What your quote should include
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How long the team stays
- When final numbers are due
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
Swanley questions
Which station should guests use for Swanley?
Swanley station, in Swanley itself.
How far is Swanley from London?
About 14 miles from central London.
Can you cook indoors?
Typically we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, because we use gas burners. Some venues have suitable spaces; we will check with you and the venue.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
What equipment do you bring?
All cooking kit comes with us. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Is halal food available?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
What does paella catering cost?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we’ll reply with a price.
Where we can cook in Swanley
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
What we offer
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
Should I cook it myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
How the day works
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first as the rice is cooking. Planning an evening event in Swanley? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- 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.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Get a quote
Send us the date, your venue or BR8 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, use our quote form.
Related guides
Planning for every diet
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
Sangria and bar staff can be added to serve drinks you provide.
About the dishes
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, and a popular all-rounder.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Organising for someone else?
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Swanley? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Is live paella right for your event?
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and it is entertaining too. The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
Why book with us
- Fast service from the pan
- Events in Swanley and across Kent
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
- 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