Kent · England
Live paella catering in Wittersham, Kent
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Wittersham: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Birthday celebrations
- Naming days and family parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Paella catering near Wittersham
About our paella catering in Wittersham
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field. For weddings and evening receptions and big birthdays, we will put together a menu of paella Valenciana, vegan paella and black rice for your guests.
For a rural spot like Wittersham, the countryside is part of the appeal: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
Space, weather and the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Menu ideas
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
How we price paella catering
There is nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- How many guests are eating
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- The paellas you choose
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What to tell us
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- The venue or postcode
- A picture of where we’d cook
- What the venue already provides
- Roughly how many adults and children
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
A closer look at the menu
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It is typically the most photographed pan.
Planning live paella in Wittersham
Wittersham is about 11 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. For paella catering in Wittersham, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Wittersham is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. Our events stretch from Wittersham to Canterbury (24 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Wittersham Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Nearby historic houses include Smallhythe Place (1.6 miles north) and Lamb House (4.7 miles south). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. Wittersham is within about 5 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
We cater events across TN30 and the streets around it. Streets in the area include The Street, Poplar Road and Swan Cottages, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Main roads around Wittersham include the B2082, which makes travel to your event easy. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Acton (1 mile north-east), The Stocks (1 mile east), Stone Corner (1 mile north-east), Reading Street (2 miles north-east) and Stone in Oxney (3 miles east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Ashford (11 miles north-east), Tenterden (4 miles north), Kennington (13 miles north-east), New Romney (11 miles east), Staplehurst (12 miles north-west) and Stanhope (10 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Ypres Tower (4.8 miles south) and Smallhythe Place (1.6 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Flatropers Wood.
- Pubs nearby include The Swan pub (less than half a mile north-west)
Wittersham: your questions answered
What about events near the coast?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Do you come out to small places like Wittersham?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Is paella a full meal?
Paella is a meal in itself. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
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.
Is halal food available?
Yes, on request. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
What seafood can we have?
We will suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
What do you need at the venue?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Dietary needs and planning tips
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Tell us what else is being served
- Count adults and children separately
Paella is best eaten as soon as it is ready, so we serve when guests are ready.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
How the day works
It’s 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. In Wittersham, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are usually served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
How to prepare
- Give us a contact for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Getting a price
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Planning help
Paella compared with other options
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain to your event in Wittersham. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why book with us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Read How we price And What paella catering costs.
Why choose paella catering in Wittersham?
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Summer garden parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Company summer parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Rye station, about 4.5 miles south.
Before booking anyone
- How bad weather is handled
- The deadline for final numbers
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Staff numbers and hours
Towns and villages near Wittersham
Other catering in Wittersham
DIY paella versus live catering
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
- 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