Kent · England
Live paella catering in Westenhanger, Kent
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Westenhanger and nearby, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Garden get-togethers
- Naming days and family parties
- Company summer parties
Paella catering near Westenhanger
About our paella catering in Westenhanger
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. On the menu are vegetable paella, paella Valenciana and chicken and chorizo paella, and typical bookings are for summer garden parties and big birthdays.
Somewhere like Westenhanger, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and service is quick once it’s ready.
Westenhanger: your questions answered
Is Westenhanger too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Could we have live paella in Sandling Park?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring all the cooking equipment. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
Do you come to Westenhanger?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Westenhanger and across Kent. Send us your date to check availability.
Will there be enough food?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Is paella enough as a main?
Yes. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook on the day, then serve straight from the pan.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Live paella in Westenhanger: local details
Westenhanger is about 2 miles north-west of Hythe, in Kent. Events in Westenhanger are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Westenhanger is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. Our events stretch from Westenhanger to Canterbury (13 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as All Saints Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. For guests coming by train, Westenhanger station is in Westenhanger itself. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Westenhanger, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking. The coast is within about 3 miles of Westenhanger, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Paella catering in CT21 is planned around your venue and timings. If your venue is just outside Westenhanger, we also cover Newingreen (1 mile south), Berwick (1 mile south), Pedlinge (1 mile south-east), Lympne (1 mile south-west) and Sandling (1 mile east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Ashford (8 miles north-west), Canterbury (13 miles north), Dover (12 miles east), Folkestone (6 miles east), Tower Hamlets (12 miles east) and Hawkinge (6 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Hythe Museum (2.5 miles south-east) and Royal Victoria Hospital (5.8 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Hatch Park and Tolsford Hill.
- Nearby schools include Brockhill Park Performing Arts College (1.5 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Royal Oak Public House (under half a mile south)
Prices and what affects them
There is nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Guest numbers
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before booking.
What we need to know
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- The venue or postcode
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The date and time of the event
- The courses you’d like
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with 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.
Occasions we cook for in Westenhanger
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, thanks to separate pans for each version. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Retirement celebrations
- Milestone birthday parties
- Company summer parties
- Anniversary celebrations
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Sandling Park? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
Questions to ask before you book
- What happens if it rains
- The deadline for final numbers
- What the price includes, item by item
- What the caterer needs from your venue
Dietary needs and planning tips
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Count adults and children separately
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Confirm allergies by email
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Step by step
Here’s how the day usually runs: we arrive, set up and start cooking, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and we serve straight from the pan at the agreed time. Around midsummer it stays light in Westenhanger 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.
- 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.
Getting ready for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Give us a contact for the day
Getting a price
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It is typically the most photographed pan.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
For planners, venues and organisers
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Events in public spaces, like parks, typically need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Towns and villages near Westenhanger
Other catering in Westenhanger
Space, weather and the venue
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Menu ideas
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Seafood 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