Kent · England
Live paella catering in Underriver, Kent
Planning paella catering in Underriver? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Summer garden parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Paella catering in Underriver
Paella catering for your event in Underriver
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields. Popular choices include vegetable paella, black rice and seafood paella, and typical bookings are for milestone birthday parties and christenings and family gatherings.
For a rural spot like Underriver, the countryside is part of the appeal: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Tell us about access and the ground. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
FAQs for Underriver
Is Underriver close to London?
Roughly 22 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Could we have live paella in Knole Park?
Only if the landowner, usually the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Can you serve drinks?
Yes, sangria. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Where do you cater?
We cater across London and the South East, including Kent. Find your area.
What equipment do you bring?
All cooking kit comes with us. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
Which paella is most popular?
Most events choose two or three: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.
Is paella a full meal?
Paella is a meal in itself. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in its own pan.
DIY paella versus live catering
Weighing up DIY against 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.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Before you choose a spot
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you. The main points are:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Menu ideas
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
What affects the price in Underriver
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Timings and hours
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- How many guests are eating
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Details that help
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A photo of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- The date and time of the event
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, fill in our quote form.
How the day works
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell typically draws people over. Evenings in Underriver stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Give us a contact for the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Tell us when you want to eat
Getting a price
Send us the date, your venue or TN15 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Related guides
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Tell us what else is being served
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Count adults and children separately
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can relax.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
Catering an event in Underriver
Underriver is about 3 miles south-east of Sevenoaks, in Kent. Across the TN15 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. Underriver is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. We cook right across the region, from Underriver to London (22 miles away).
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Knole Park? Public parks normally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Sevenoaks Preparatory School, can book us as a food stall. Underriver is within about 7 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cater events across TN15 and the streets around it. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Budds (1 mile east), Bitchet Green (1 mile north-east), Watt's Cross (2 miles south), Godden Green (2 miles north) and Stone Street (2 miles north-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (13 miles east), Dartford (14 miles north), Sevenoaks (3 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (8 miles south), Gravesend (14 miles north-east) and Tonbridge (4 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Sevenoaks Museum (2.2 miles north-west) and Tonbridge Castle (4 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Dryhill Nature Reserve and Barden Lake.
Also near Underriver
Also in Underriver
Paella compared with other options
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
What you get with us
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- No hidden extras in your quote
Read How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Working with your venue
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
- 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