Kent · England
Paella party catering in Hartley, Kent
Paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events in Hartley: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests.
- Baby celebrations
- Milestone birthdays
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Planning an event in Hartley?
Hartley parties: what to know
Hartley is about 4 miles south-west of Northfleet, in Kent. Across the DA3 area, we can bring the pans to you. Hartley is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. Our nearest city page is London, about 19 miles away.
Historic houses near Hartley include Cobham College (3.9 miles east). Grand settings like these often have strict catering rules, so for most parties a garden or hired hall is simpler. Parks such as Rectory Meadow usually need permission for cooking, so a garden or hired venue is frequently easier. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 7 miles of Hartley, so a garden party here comes with a lovely backdrop.
Wherever your party is in DA3, we can cook for your guests. Streets in the area include Church Road, Dickens Close and Stack Lane, and we can cook for a party on any of them. Close by, we cover parties in Longfield (1 mile north), New Barn (1 mile north-east), Longfield Hill (1 mile east), New Ash Green (1 mile south) and Nash Street (2 miles east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (13 miles south-east), Dartford (5 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (9 miles south-west), Gravesend (4 miles north-east), Tonbridge (13 miles south) and Northfleet (4 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Darent Valley Hospital (4 miles north-west) and Stone Castle (4.1 miles north). Not far away are Sawyers Lake.
- Nearby schools include Longfield Academy (0.7 miles north)
- Local pubs include Railway Tavern (0.9 miles north)
Paella party catering in Hartley, cooked live
Most gardens can host a paella party, as long as there is a flat spot clear of fences and branches. Not sure? Send a picture. For celebrations of life and garden parties and summer barbecues, we can cook mixed paella, churros and vegetable paella for your guests.
In a place like Hartley, a garden party is generally the easiest option. Let us know how we can get to the garden, and we’ll bring everything else. Timings are planned around your event, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Towns and villages near Hartley
What else we do in Hartley
Working with your venue
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Hartley? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Common questions in Hartley
We’re having a ceremony at Church of Saint Mary: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook in Rectory Meadow?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
What if the weather’s bad?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Can you cook halal paella?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it’s cooked separately.
Do you bring plates and cutlery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know and we will add it to the quote.
Will the neighbours notice?
Gas cooking means steam and a good smell, not much smoke. The smell is typically the best advert for the party.
How many paellas should we have?
Most events have two or three: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will help you decide the split.
Dishes our guests love
Chicken & chorizo paella
Smoky, satisfying and popular with children, ideal for guests who skip seafood.
Tapas
Patatas bravas, tortilla, croquetas and olives while the paella cooks.
Is live paella right for your party?
A takeaway order is easy but forgettable. Live paella gives guests a show. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why us?
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
See How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
DIY paella versus live catering
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Who books paella party catering in Hartley?
It’s generous and sociable, perfect for celebrations where people want to mingle.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Hartley:
- Wakes and memorial gatherings
- Milestone birthdays
- Big family gatherings
- Retirement celebrations
Christenings and naming days often start at a local church such as Church of Saint Mary, with a paella lunch at home or in a hall afterwards.
Before booking anyone
- The deadline for final numbers
- Travel and parking costs
- Space, access and power needs
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
How we price paella party catering
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Travel, parking and access
- The number of people
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What we need to know
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- Anything your venue supplies
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Where the event is
- The courses you’d like
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Give us the details of your party, and we will put together a menu and price.
Step by step
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. A summer party in Hartley stays light until about 9:20pm at midsummer, which gives a garden party a long evening. By late September sunset is around 7:00pm, so plan festoon lights for later parties.
- Tell us when and where, and how many.
- You get a menu and a quote.
- We set up before guests arrive.
- The paella cooks while your guests chat.
- We serve from the pan and pack down.
Before we arrive
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Getting a price
Planning paella party catering in Hartley? Send us the details and we will come back with ideas and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Read more
Dietary needs and planning tips
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Warn the neighbours
- Keep children and pets away from the burners
- Add a diet question to the invitation
- Count adults and children separately
When you are ready to eat, we serve straight from the pan, while you enjoy your guests.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges round off the meal.
- 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