Kent · England
Live paella catering in Upper Harbledown, Kent
Paella for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Upper Harbledown.
- Birthday celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Retirement celebrations
Book paella catering in Upper Harbledown
Live paella in Upper Harbledown: local details
Upper Harbledown is about 2 miles west of Canterbury, in Kent. Events in Upper Harbledown are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cover 922 places in Kent, from the larger towns to small villages.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in No Man's Orchard? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St. Gabriel, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Upper Harbledown is within about 6 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
We cater events across the CT2 postcode area and the streets around it. Your event could be at a home on Roman Road, The Green and Limes Place or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Upper Harbledown, we also cover Rough Common (1 mile north-east), Harbledown (1 mile east), Chartham Hatch (1 mile south-west), Thanington (1 mile south-east) and Wincheap (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Ashford (12 miles south-west), Dover (15 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (14 miles west), Folkestone (15 miles south-east), Whitstable (5 miles north) and Faversham (7 miles west).
Nearby you will also find Canterbury Castle (1.9 miles east) and Eastbridge Hospital of St Thomas the Martyr (2 miles east). Not far away are Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
- Nearby schools include The Canterbury Academy (1.3 miles east)
- Nearby, you will find The Dog and Bear pub (0.7 miles north-east)
Paella catering for your event in Upper Harbledown
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. On the menu are chicken and chorizo paella, mixed paella and vegetable paella, and we are frequently booked for retirement celebrations and company summer parties.
Somewhere like Upper Harbledown, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
Before you choose a spot
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space when you contact us. In general, we need:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
How it works
Your timings come first. If things run behind, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is served at its best. Evenings in Upper Harbledown stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
How to prepare
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Getting a price
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Tell us about your event in Upper Harbledown, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
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Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
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 will do the cooking.
Why choose live paella in Upper Harbledown?
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What you get with us
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Events in Upper Harbledown and across Kent
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
See Our prices page And The cost guide.
Events we cater in Upper Harbledown
Outdoor events and live paella go together: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Upper Harbledown book us for occasions like:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
For guests coming by train, Canterbury West station is about 1.8 miles away.
What to look for in a quote
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- How late numbers can change
- How each diet is kept separate
- Whether VAT is included
Upper Harbledown: your questions answered
What about events near the coast?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Can you cook in No Man's Orchard?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
What does paella catering cost?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three covers most guests. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Is halal food available?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
How does live paella catering work?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook while everyone watches, and serve when you are ready to eat.
Do you bring everything you need?
We bring all the cooking equipment. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
Towns and villages near Upper Harbledown
Other catering in Upper Harbledown
For event organisers in Upper Harbledown
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Upper Harbledown? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
The menu, dish by dish
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Prices and what affects them
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- How many guests are eating
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- How long we’re needed on site
The cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Getting an accurate quote
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
Send us the date, your venue or CT2 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.
- 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