Kent · England
Live paella catering in Tonbridge, Kent
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Tonbridge. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
Live paella catering in Tonbridge
Paella compared with other options
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain to your event in Tonbridge. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
Why choose Love Paella in Tonbridge
- Events in Tonbridge and across Kent
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
About our paella catering in Tonbridge
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. Popular choices include seafood paella, chicken and chorizo paella and black rice, and we are regularly asked to cater weddings, from canapés to evening food and big birthdays.
Gardens in Tonbridge range from small patios to big lawns, and most can work for live paella. Have a gazebo ready in case of showers. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
What happens on the day
Expect a friendly, organised team. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Around midsummer it stays light in Tonbridge until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Ask for a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, use our quote form.
Related guides
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Count adults and children separately
- Confirm allergies by email
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal.
Nearby places to Tonbridge
What else we do in Tonbridge
Tonbridge: venues, travel and local tips
Tonbridge is about 12 miles south-west of Maidstone, in Kent. Whether your event is in the middle of Tonbridge or on the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cater in all 922 towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is London, about 26 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Ightham Mote (4.1 miles north) and Penshurst Place (4.4 miles west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like New Beacon School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Wherever your event is in TN9, TN10 and TN11, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. We can cater an event on streets such as High Street, Old London Road and London Road or the roads around them. With the A26 and A227 close by, Tonbridge is easy for us to reach with everything for your event. If your venue is just outside Tonbridge, we also cover Lower Haysden (2 miles south-west), Leigh (3 miles west), Bidborough (3 miles south-west), Southborough (3 miles south) and Printstile (3 miles south-west). Further out, we also cater in Maidstone (12 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (7 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (4 miles south), Swanley (14 miles north), Kings Hill (7 miles north-east) and Foley Park (12 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include The Milne Museum (less than half a mile west) and Tonbridge Castle (within half a mile south-west). Green spaces nearby include Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve and Barden Lake.
- Local schools include Hillview School for Girls (0.7 miles south) and Royal Rise Primary School (0.8 miles south)
- Local pubs include Ivy House Public House (less than half a mile west)
Events we cater in Tonbridge
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Tonbridge:
- Naming days and family parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Summer garden parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Parks such as Haysden Country Park normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
Questions to ask before you book
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Whether travel is included
- If the price includes VAT
- The venue requirements
Planners, venues and businesses
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Before you choose a spot
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Level ground for the pans and burners
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
On the menu in Tonbridge
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Tonbridge: your questions answered
What’s the nearest station to Tonbridge for guests?
Tonbridge station, about 0.6 miles south-west of the centre.
Can you cook in Haysden Country Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Which paellas suit our guests?
Most events choose two or three: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.
Is paella a full meal?
It’s a full meal on its own. Many hosts add tapas first or dessert after.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Very much so. We size pans and serving points to your guest list.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Of course. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
How we price paella catering
These are the factors that matter most:
- How many courses
- Your choice of paellas
- How long we are needed on site
- Whether you need crockery
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Details that help
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- The date and rough timings
- What the venue already provides
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Where the event is
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, send us your details through 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