Kent · England
Paella Party Catering in St Michaels
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events in St Michaels and the surrounding area.
- Street and neighbourhood parties
- Wakes and celebrations of life
- Big birthdays
Paella party catering for St Michaels events
How our paella party catering works in St Michaels
Paella is made for relaxed parties: it is served from the pan and shared, without any fuss. We are frequently asked to cater christenings and naming days and family get-togethers, serving tapas, churros and seafood paella.
Near St Michaels, parties are often in gardens or fields. Let us know about access, and we will plan the set-up. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
Occasions we cook for in St Michaels
It feels like a holiday in your own garden.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Naming days and christenings
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Big family gatherings
Christenings and naming days often start at a local church such as Church of St Michael, with a paella lunch at home or in a hall afterwards.
What to look for in a quote
- The venue requirements
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- If the price includes VAT
Why choose live paella in St Michaels?
A takeaway order is easy but forgettable. Live paella gives guests a show. Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What you get with us
- A quote that spells everything out
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Real theatre, not just catering
Read Our pricing Or What paella catering costs.
Planning a party in St Michaels
St Michaels is about 8 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. From the centre of St Michaels to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. St Michaels is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 21 miles away.
Thinking of a party in Turners Field? Cooking in a public park typically needs permission from the council or landowner, so check first. Nearby historic houses include Smallhythe Place (3.3 miles south). Grand settings like these often have strict catering rules, so for most parties a garden or hired hall is simpler. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 8 miles of St Michaels, so many gardens around here have a great outlook.
Wherever your party is in TN30, we can cook for your guests. Streets in the area include Ox Lane, Swain Road and Grange Road, and we can cook for a party on any of them. St Michaels sits on or near the A28, which makes travel to your party easy. Other places close to St Michaels for paella party catering include London Beach (1 mile north), Tenterden (1 mile south), Broad Tenterden (2 miles south), Parkgate (2 miles west) and Clapper Hill (3 miles west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (14 miles north-west), Ashford (8 miles north-east), Foley Park (15 miles north-west), Paddock Wood (15 miles north-west), Bearsted (14 miles north-west) and Park Wood (12 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Tenterden and District Museum (1.3 miles south) and Romden Castle (4.3 miles north).
- Local schools include Homewood School (0.5 miles south)
What paella party catering costs
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Your choice of paellas
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How long we are needed on site
- The number of people
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What we need to know
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The venue or postcode
- Roughly how many adults and children
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
St Michaels questions
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Michael: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Is St Michaels too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Can you set up in a small garden?
Most gardens are fine. We need a level spot, clearance from anything flammable and reasonable access. Send us a picture.
Do you take everything away?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Tell us how many are coming.
How much space do you need?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
When should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Do you do vegan paella?
Of course. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Diets, allergies and planning
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Plan where rubbish goes
- Warn the neighbours
- Collect dietary needs with your invites
- Plan a covered spot for wet weather
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll help serve and clear so you can relax.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges round off the meal.
The process
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. For a late-May party in St Michaels, sunset is around 8:45pm; at midsummer it is about 9:15pm. After dark, the cooking area needs good lighting.
- We check your date and the space.
- You pick paellas, tapas and desserts.
- The burners go on and the sofrito starts.
- In goes the rice, and guests gather.
- We serve hot and tidy our area afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
Get a quote
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: give us the basics about your party, and we will make suggestions. To start, use our quote form.
Planning help
For planners, venues and organisers
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in St Michaels? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Throwing 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.
Also near St Michaels
Other catering in St Michaels
DIY paella versus live catering
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Dishes our guests love
Tapas
A few tapas set the scene.
Churros
Sugary churros with chocolate, a sweet finish.
- 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