Greater London · England
Paella Party Catering for St Mary Cray events
Planning paella party catering in St Mary Cray? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Garden get-togethers
- Christenings and naming days
- Engagement and anniversary parties
Paella party catering near St Mary Cray
What paella party catering costs
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- The number of people
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What we need to know
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The date and rough timings
- Which courses you have in mind
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
How our paella party catering works in St Mary Cray
You get to enjoy your own party: no shopping, no cooking, no hours at the stove. We take care of the food. Typical bookings include big family gatherings and retirement and leaving parties, with vegetable paella, tapas and chicken and chorizo paella.
Throwing a party in St Mary Cray? Live paella means no cooking for you, and works in gardens, on patios and at hired venues. Mention any parking permits. You will know exactly what’s included before you book: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
- Where
- St Mary Cray (BR5, BR6, BR7)
- Region
- Greater London
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Nearby places to St Mary Cray
What else we do in St Mary Cray
Dietary needs and planning tips
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Put out bins for general waste and recycling
- Arrange a gazebo in case of rain
- Let the neighbours know
- Make sure children stay back from the pans
We arrive before your guests to set up.
Churros with chocolate are a hit with children and adults.
Party venues around St Mary Cray
St Mary Cray is about 11 miles south-east of London, in Greater London. For a party in St Mary Cray, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around St Mary Cray. We cater in all 764 towns and villages in Greater London. Our events stretch from St Mary Cray to London (about 11 miles away).
Thinking of a party in Jubilee Country Park? Cooking in a public park generally needs permission from the council or landowner, so check first. Christenings and naming days often start at a local church such as Church of St Mary, with a paella lunch at home or in a hall afterwards. St Mary Cray is within about 6 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, so a garden party here comes with a lovely backdrop.
Paella party catering in BR5, BR6 and BR7 is planned around your venue and your guests. Local streets include New Road, Kent Road and Park Road; a party at home on any of them works well with live paella. Main roads around St Mary Cray include the A224, so getting the burners and pans to your party is simple. Nearby, we also cater parties in Poverest (1 mile south-west), St Paul's Cray (1 mile north), Orpington (1 mile south), Derry Downs (1 mile south-east) and Kevington (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include London (11 miles north-west), City of Westminster (14 miles north-west), Marylebone (14 miles north-west), Kensington (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (13 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (12 miles north-west).
Nearby you’ll also find London Borough of Bromley Museum (0.9 miles south) and Lullingstone Castle (4.5 miles south-east). The countryside around St Mary Cray includes Summer Hill and The Warren.
- Nearby schools include Walsingham School (0.9 miles north) and Harris Academy Orpington (1.2 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Blue Anchor Public House (under half a mile north-east)
Should I cook it myself?
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.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Planning the cooking area
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
As a London location, St Mary Cray is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Menu ideas
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Churros
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Tapas
Who books paella party catering in St Mary Cray?
It brings a bit of holiday feeling to a garden party.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Garden get-togethers
- Street and neighbourhood parties
- Family get-togethers
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
If guests are coming by rail, St Mary Cray station is in St Mary Cray itself.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Payment terms and deposit
- How bad weather is handled
- Any travel, parking or access charges
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable paella
A vegetable pan means vegetarians eat well.
Churros
All ages love churros.
The process
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. At midsummer, it’s light in St Mary Cray until about 9:20pm, which gives a garden party a long evening. By late September sunset is around 7:05pm, so plan festoon lights for later parties.
- You tell us the date, address, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote.
- On the day, we set up and get cooking.
- Guests gather round as it cooks, nibbling tapas if you’ve booked them.
- It is served from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Get a quote
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Your questions about paella party catering in St Mary Cray
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary?
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. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook in Jubilee Country Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
How far in advance should we book?
Early is best, but ask even if it’s soon. We will check availability right away.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is usually popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
Do you cook at halls and clubs?
Normally. We need a suitable spot and the venue’s agreement.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we can plan it carefully.
Do you cook inside?
Normally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, since the burners are gas. Some venues have suitable spaces; we’ll check with you and the venue.
Is halal food available?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A hog roast is great for meat lovers, but harder for vegetarians and vegans. Paella covers everyone with separate pans. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why book with us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Catering across Greater London, including St Mary Cray
Read Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
- 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