Kent · England
Live paella catering in Upton, Kent
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Upton and across Kent.
- Community events and fairs
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Big birthdays
Book paella catering in Upton
About our paella catering in Upton
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. Once it’s ready, we serve it hot from the pan. We’re frequently asked to cater garden parties and summer barbecues and fairs, fêtes and festivals, with vegetable paella, mixed paella and seafood paella.
There may be a hall or club near Upton if your garden is small; live paella can work at any of them, given permission and outdoor space. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
Is live paella right for your event?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why Upton hosts choose us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Read Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
Upton: venues, travel and local tips
Upton is about 1 mile south-west of Broadstairs, in Kent. We cook at events in gardens, halls and venues around Upton and nearby villages. We cater in 922 places in Kent. We cook right across the region, from Upton to Canterbury (about 16 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Parish Church of St Peter the Apostle, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Nearby historic houses include Quex Park (4.5 miles west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The coast is within about 2 miles of Upton, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Here we cover the CT10, CT11 and CT12 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Your event could be at a home on Vale Road, Lawn Road and Upton Road. You will find Upton on the A255, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. If your venue is just outside Upton, we also cover Broadstairs (1 mile north-east), St Peter's (1 mile north-west), Northwood (1 mile west), Ramsgate (1 mile south-west) and St Lawrence (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Deal (10 miles south), Herne Bay (13 miles west), Walmer (11 miles south), Whitfield (15 miles south), Sandwich (7 miles south-west) and Aylesham (13 miles south-west).
A little further out are Westwood Cross (1.2 miles west) and Crampton Tower (under half a mile east). Not far away are Sandwich and Pegwell Bay.
- Local schools include The Charles Dickens School (within half a mile north-west) and The Charles Dickens School (within half a mile north-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Little Albion Inn (within half a mile north-east)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Upton questions
We’re having a ceremony at Parish Church of St Peter the Apostle: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
How far is Upton from London?
About 66 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Are premium seafood options available?
We’ll suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
How much is live paella catering?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you so the paella is ready when you want it.
Do you cover Upton?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Upton and across Kent. Send us your date to check availability.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Before you choose a spot
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
A closer look at the menu
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Towns and villages near Upton
Other catering in Upton
What happens on the day
Expect a friendly, organised team. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. In Upton, 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 is dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Tell us where to park and unload
Ask for a quote
Send us the date, your venue or CT10 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Planning for every diet
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
Planners, venues and businesses
Organising a club, school or community event in Upton? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
What paella catering costs
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- How many courses
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Timings and hours
- How many staff you need
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Details that help
To speed things up, tell us:
- Anything your venue supplies
- Which courses you have in mind
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
- 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