Kent · England
Paella Catering in The Platt
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in The Platt.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Office lunches and staff parties
Live paella catering in The Platt
About our paella catering in The Platt
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, there is very little waste, and the food arrives hot. That’s why it works for so many events. Whether it is retirement and leaving parties and weddings, from canapés to evening food, we’ll put together a menu of paella Valenciana, black rice and seafood paella and more.
Somewhere like The Platt, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Planning live paella in The Platt
The Platt is about 4 miles south of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. Wherever your event is in the TN3 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. We cover 922 places in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 25 miles away.
Historic houses near The Platt include Wadhurst Castle (3 miles south-east) and Groombridge Place (4.2 miles north-west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. Parks such as Eridge Park normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. The Platt is within about 4 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
For paella catering in TN3, we plan around your venue. Other places close to The Platt for paella catering include Frant (1 mile north), Mark Cross (2 miles south), Eridge Green (2 miles north-west), Town Row (3 miles south-west) and Tidebrook (3 miles south). Larger places within reach include Sevenoaks (14 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (4 miles north), Tonbridge (8 miles north), Kings Hill (14 miles north-east), Paddock Wood (8 miles north-east) and Southborough (5 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Tunbridge Wells Homeopathic Hospital (3.4 miles north) and The Corn Exchange (2.9 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Broadwater Warren RSPB Reserve.
- Pubs nearby include The George Public House (0.9 miles north)
More for events in The Platt
DIY paella versus live catering
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
How we price paella catering
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Whether you need crockery
- Timings and hours
- Your choice of paellas
- Waiting and bar staff
The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- Where the event is
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Which courses you have in mind
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Where we can cook in The Platt
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before you book.
Popular choices
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
Planning for every diet
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Put allergy details in writing
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Request clear labels at the serving table
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can enjoy your guests.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Who books paella catering in The Platt?
It is ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in The Platt book us for occasions like:
- Garden get-togethers
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Festivals, fairs and school events
For guests coming by train, Frant station is about 1.7 miles away.
Before you book anyone
- Space, access and power needs
- What the price includes, item by item
- Who provides the crockery
- The deadline for final numbers
What happens on the day
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. In The Platt, 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. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- 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 paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Leave space around the cooking area
Getting a price
Send us the date, your venue or TN3 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Why choose live paella in The Platt?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
What you get with us
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
See Our prices page And The cost guide.
For planners, venues and organisers
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
The Platt: your questions answered
Is The Platt too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cook at venues in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Which paella is most popular?
It depends on your guests. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
How much paella per person?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
Do you cater in The Platt?
We do. We cook at events in The Platt and across Kent. Send us your date to check availability.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
- 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