Kent · England
Paella Party Catering in Lydden
Bring the theatre of live paella to your party in Lydden. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Street parties and neighbourhood get-togethers
- Milestone birthdays
- Wakes and celebrations of life
Planning an event in Lydden?
About our paella party catering in Lydden
You get to enjoy your own party: no shopping, no cooking, no hours at the stove. We take care of the food. Popular choices include seafood paella, tapas and churros, and typical bookings are for engagement and anniversary parties and celebrations of life.
Near Lydden, parties are often in gardens or fields. Let us know about access, and we’ll handle the rest. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
What affects the price in Lydden
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- Distance and access to the venue
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The number of people
- Your choice of paellas
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before you book.
Getting an accurate quote
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The date and time of the event
- Where the event is
- Which courses you have in mind
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Before you choose a spot
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- A photo of the garden helps us check the space
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we offer
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Tapas
- Churros
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
The process
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and it’s served hot from the pan when you are ready to eat. Sunset in Lydden is about 8:45pm in late May and 9:15pm in late June. After dark, the cooking area needs good lighting.
- First, we check the date and the space.
- You choose your paellas and any extras.
- We set up the burners and start the sofrito.
- The rice goes in and your guests gather round.
- It’s served hot, and we clear away afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Get a quote
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Why choose paella party catering in Lydden?
It’s the easiest way to feed a party without being stuck in the kitchen, and it is a talking point.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Lydden:
- Milestone birthdays
- Family reunions
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Street and neighbourhood parties
Parks such as Sladden Wood generally need permission for cooking, so a garden or hired venue is often easier.
Questions to ask before booking
- Payment terms and deposit
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Allergen information for each dish
- A clear list of what’s included
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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 at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Plan a covered spot for wet weather
- Plan seats for most guests
- Give the neighbours a heads-up
- Tell us how many children are coming
When you are ready to eat, we serve straight from the pan, while you enjoy your guests.
Churros and chocolate go down well with all ages.
Hosting a paella party in Lydden
Lydden is about 3 miles north-west of Dover, in Kent. Give us the address of your party in Lydden, and we will plan access and set-up. Lydden is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Lydden to Canterbury (11 miles away).
After a christening at a church like Church of St Mary Church of St Mary Virgin, a paella lunch is an easy way to feed family and friends. If guests are coming by rail, the nearest station is Kearsney station, about 1.6 miles south-east. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Lydden, so many gardens around here have a great outlook. The coast is within about 5 miles, so seafood paella frequently features.
We cover parties in every part of CT15. Whether your party is on St Marys Rise, Canterbury Road and The Close or a nearby road, we can cook there. Nearby, we also cater parties in Coldred (1 mile north), Ewell Minnis (1 mile south-west), Temple Ewell (1 mile south-east), Halfway Street (1 mile north-west) and Wolverton (2 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Canterbury (11 miles north-west), Dover (3 miles south-east), Folkestone (6 miles south-west), Ramsgate (14 miles north-east), Deal (8 miles north-east) and Herne Bay (15 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include Dover Transport Museum (2.3 miles south-east) and Dover Castle (4.3 miles south-east). The countryside around Lydden includes Dover Western Heights.
- Nearby, you’ll find Hope Inn (less than half a mile west)
Places near Lydden
More for events in Lydden
FAQs for Lydden
Is Lydden close to London?
Roughly 62 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Which station should guests use for Lydden?
The closest is Kearsney station, roughly 1.6 miles away.
Will it be noisy or smoky?
There’s a cooking smell, but much less smoke than a barbecue, and it is a good smell. Let the neighbours know.
Is my garden big enough?
Normally, yes, if there is a flat, open spot away from fences and branches. Send us a photo of the space.
Do you do starters?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Do you cater in Lydden?
Yes, we do. Lydden is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
When should I book?
Early for summer weekends. Ask about your date.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a picture.
Planners, venues and businesses
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
What’s in the pans
Vegetable paella
Vegetarians get a real main course.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Chicken and chorizo is a crowd-pleaser, though it is not traditional in Valencia.
- 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