Kent · England
Paella Catering in Upstreet
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Upstreet and the surrounding area.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Planning an event in Upstreet?
Space, weather and the venue
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space when you contact us. Generally, we look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
Paella catering for your event in Upstreet
Keep it simple, or go all out: paella on its own, or with canapés, table tapas, desserts and sangria. We will suggest what suits your event. We are often asked to cater garden get-togethers and community events and fairs, serving mixed paella, vegetable paella and vegan paella.
Somewhere like Upstreet, a field or garden is often the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. We plan the timings around your day, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Perfect for your event in Upstreet
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Upstreet book us for events such as:
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Anniversary celebrations
- Summer garden parties
Parks such as Grove Ferry Picnic Area normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
Comparing caterers
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- What happens if it rains
- If the price includes VAT
Should I cook it myself?
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.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
How it works
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Around midsummer it stays light in Upstreet until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
How to get a price
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
Read more
Planning live paella in Upstreet
Upstreet is about 4 miles south-east of Herne Bay, in Kent. Tell us where your event in Upstreet will be, and we’ll plan access and set-up before the day. Upstreet is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 6 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Chislet Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary the Virgin, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Upstreet is within about 5 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
This part of Kent takes in CT3. Streets in the area include St Mary's Gardens, Becketts Wood and Grove Ferry Hill, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Grove (1 mile south), West Stourmouth (2 miles east), Sarre (2 miles north-east), Preston (2 miles south-east) and East Stourmouth (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Canterbury (6 miles south-west), Margate (9 miles north-east), Dover (14 miles south), Ramsgate (9 miles east), Broadstairs (10 miles east) and Whitstable (8 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include St Martins Hospital (5.2 miles south-west). Open spaces near Upstreet include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
- Nearby schools include Spires Academy (2.4 miles west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Grove Ferry Inn (within half a mile east)
Prices and what affects them
There’s nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Parking and unloading
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What to tell us
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The courses you’d like
- The venue or postcode
- Any dietary needs and allergies
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you are ready: fill in our quote form.
Towns and villages near Upstreet
More for events in Upstreet
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: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Is live paella right for your event?
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Larger events typically cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
What you get with us
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- A clear, itemised quote
- Served hot, straight from the pan
Take a look at Our prices page Or The cost guide.
The menu, dish by dish
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It is often the most popular pan at an event.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s the pan people photograph.
Upstreet questions
How far is Upstreet from London?
Roughly 57 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary the Virgin?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
When do you arrive?
We get there in good time to set up. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
What happens with live paella?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook in front of your guests, and serve when you are ready to eat.
When should we book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
What areas do you cover?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Upstreet.
Can you provide dessert?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, on request. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it’s cooked separately.
- 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