Kent · England
Live paella catering in Wanshurst Green, Kent
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Wanshurst Green.
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Weddings and evening receptions
Paella catering for Wanshurst Green events
Paella catering in Wanshurst Green, cooked live
Watching it cook is part of the experience. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the aroma does the rest. We’re often asked to cater summer garden parties and weddings, from canapés to evening food, serving black rice, chicken and chorizo paella and mixed paella.
Somewhere like Wanshurst Green, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
Dishes our guests love
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a paella that stands on its own. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It is normally the most photographed pan.
Nearby places to Wanshurst Green
Other catering in Wanshurst Green
FAQs for Wanshurst Green
Is Wanshurst Green too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you cater in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
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.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
How much does paella catering cost in Wanshurst Green?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
Can we choose the seafood?
Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we can plan it carefully.
What paella catering costs
There’s nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
Larger events generally cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Getting an accurate quote
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- What the venue already provides
- The date and rough timings
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Where the event is
To get a price, use our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Occasions we cook for in Wanshurst Green
It needs no kitchen, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
These are some of the occasions we cater:
- Garden get-togethers
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Michael and All Angels Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Comparing caterers
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- What happens if it rains
- VAT, if it applies
- Allergen information for each dish
Planning live paella in Wanshurst Green
Wanshurst Green is about 6 miles south of Maidstone, in Kent. Events in Wanshurst Green are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cover 922 places across Kent. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 25 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Marden station, about 1.2 miles west. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Wanshurst Green, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cook at events all over the TN12 postcode area. We also cook at events in St Ann's Green (1 mile north), Milebush (1 mile north-west), Underling Green (1 mile north), Marden Thorn (1 mile south) and Cross-at-Hand (1 mile north-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (6 miles north), Ashford (15 miles east), Sittingbourne (15 miles north-east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (11 miles west), Tonbridge (11 miles west) and Kings Hill (8 miles north-west).
Nearby you’ll also find South East Romany Museum (0.5 miles south-west) and Sutton Valence Castle (4.1 miles north-east).
Planning for every diet
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Confirm allergies by email
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
Step by step
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. Around midsummer it stays light in Wanshurst Green until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
How to prepare
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Give us a contact for the day
How to get a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Should I cook it myself?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Live paella or other catering?
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre to your event in Wanshurst Green. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why Wanshurst Green hosts choose us
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Drinks service on request
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- A clear, itemised quote
Read Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
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:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
On the menu in Wanshurst Green
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- 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