Kent · England
Paella party catering in Lower Hartlip, Kent
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events makes the food a highlight of your party in Lower Hartlip.
- Baby celebrations
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
Paella party catering for Lower Hartlip events
How our paella party catering works in Lower Hartlip
You get to enjoy your own party: no shopping, no cooking, no hours at the stove. We take care of the food. We are frequently asked to cater wakes and celebrations of life and neighbourhood celebrations, with mixed paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella.
A country party near Lower Hartlip is perfect for paella: cooked outside, served from the pan. Plan a gazebo in case of rain. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated.
Dietary needs and planning tips
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Ensure most people can sit to eat
- Arrange a gazebo in case of rain
- Give the neighbours a heads-up
- Give separate numbers for children
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll help serve and clear so you can relax.
We can bring plates, cutlery and staff.
Working with your venue
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Lower Hartlip? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Hosting a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Hosting a paella party in Lower Hartlip
Lower Hartlip is about 3 miles south-east of Gillingham, in Kent. Give us the address of your party in Lower Hartlip, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up. We cater in 922 places across Kent. Our events stretch from Lower Hartlip to Canterbury (about 19 miles away).
After a christening at a church like Church of St Michael, a paella lunch is an easy way to feed family and friends. Thinking of a party in Foxburrow Wood? Cooking in a public park usually needs permission from the council or landowner, so check first. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Lower Hartlip, so a garden party here comes with a lovely backdrop.
We cover parties in every part of ME9 and the streets around it. Local streets include Lower Hartlip Road, Grainey Field and Old House Lane; a party at home on any of them works well with live paella. If your venue is just outside Lower Hartlip, we also cover Hartlip (1 mile west), Breach (1 mile north-east), Newington (1 mile east), Moor Street (1 mile north-west) and Meresborough (1 mile west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (8 miles south-west), Sittingbourne (4 miles east), Gravesend (13 miles north-west), Faversham (11 miles east), Northfleet (14 miles north-west) and Minster (8 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Court Hall Museum (3.8 miles east) and Bayford Court (4.3 miles east). Not far away are Detling Hill and Bishop Saltings.
- Schools near Lower Hartlip include Leigh Academy Rainham (1.4 miles north-west)
Paella compared with other options
Compared with a barbecue, paella is served all at once, so everyone eats together. And nobody is stuck at the grill. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
Why book with us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Sangria and bar staff available
Read Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Nearby places to Lower Hartlip
What else we do in Lower Hartlip
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
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. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Before you choose a spot
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
Popular choices
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Churros
- Tapas
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
The menu, dish by dish
Churros
Fried, sugared and dipped in chocolate.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich stock.
Occasions we cook for in Lower Hartlip
It works whatever the occasion, from a first birthday to a ruby wedding.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Lower Hartlip and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Family reunions
- Retirement celebrations
- Christenings and naming days
- Street and neighbourhood parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Newington station, about 1.1 miles north-east.
What to look for in a quote
- Travel and parking costs
- When final numbers are due
- Whether VAT is included
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
Common questions in Lower Hartlip
Could we have live paella in Foxburrow Wood?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Michael: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you cook inside?
Generally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, because we use gas burners. Some venues have suitable spaces; we’ll check with you and the venue.
Can you bring crockery?
If you need them, yes. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables are available.
Can you cater at a hired venue?
Yes, if there is a suitable outdoor or ventilated spot to cook. Check the venue allows live cooking.
How much paella per person?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Do you cater for young children?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan for them.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Lower Hartlip.
What happens on the day
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. At midsummer, it is light in Lower Hartlip until about 9:15pm, which gives a garden party a long evening. In late September it’s dark by about 7:00pm; add lights for the evening.
- Send us your date, address and numbers.
- You get a menu and a quote.
- We set up before guests arrive.
- The paella cooks while your guests chat.
- We serve, then clear our area.
How to prepare
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
Get a quote
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll come back with a clear quote.
Read more
- 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