Kent · England
Paella Catering in Wateringbury
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Wateringbury: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Summer garden parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Planning an event in Wateringbury?
Paella catering in Wateringbury, cooked live
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. For garden get-togethers and engagement and anniversary parties, we will put together a menu of chicken and chorizo paella, vegan paella and mixed paella and more.
Somewhere like Wateringbury, a field or garden is often the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan.
Dietary needs and planning tips
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Tell us what else is being served
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, and that’s when we invite guests up.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Common questions in Wateringbury
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St John the Baptist?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Which station should guests use for Wateringbury?
Wateringbury station, in Wateringbury itself.
Will there be enough food?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Can you feed plenty of people?
Yes. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
What if the weather’s bad?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
Who books paella catering in Wateringbury?
There’s no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Company summer parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Weddings and evening receptions
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Wateringbury Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- The wet-weather plan
- How long the team stays
- Exactly what’s included in the price
What happens on the day
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Planning an evening event in Wateringbury? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Get a quote
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Read more
Is live paella right for your event?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Why us?
- Events in Wateringbury and across Kent
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Drinks service on request
- Real theatre, not just catering
Read How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
About the dishes
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It is the pan people photograph.
Catering an event in Wateringbury
Wateringbury is about 5 miles west of Maidstone, in Kent. For an event in Wateringbury, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Wateringbury. We cater in 922 places in Kent. Our nearest city page is London, about 28 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Wateringbury has its own station, Wateringbury station. Historic houses near Wateringbury include Old Soar Manor (4.4 miles west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
We cook at events all over the ME18 postcode area and the streets around it. From Glebe Meadow, Allington Gardens and Hanbury Close or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. We also cook at events in Nettlestead (1 mile south-west), Red Hill (1 mile north-east), Teston (1 mile east), Kings Hill (1 mile north-west) and West Farleigh (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (5 miles east), Sittingbourne (15 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (10 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (11 miles south-west), Gravesend (12 miles north) and Tonbridge (7 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Oakwood Hospital (2.9 miles east) and Teapot Island (2.2 miles south).
- Nearby, you’ll find The Wateringbury pub (within half a mile east)
DIY paella versus live catering
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.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
What paella catering costs
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- How many guests are eating
- Your choice of paellas
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Starters, canapés and desserts
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What to tell us
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- Expected numbers
- Which courses you have in mind
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Wateringbury? Send us the details and we will come back with ideas and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Planning the cooking area
Every venue is different, so we ask about the space when you contact us. In general, we need:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
What we offer
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
Nearby places to Wateringbury
Also in Wateringbury
- 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