Kent · England
Wedding Paella Catering for Hildenborough events
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food for events in Hildenborough and across Kent.
- Big weddings with every diet
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
- Rustic barn weddings
Wedding paella catering in Hildenborough
How it works
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. In Hildenborough, midsummer sunset is about 9:20pm, and by late September it is nearer 7:05pm, so an evening paella for evening guests is typically served in daylight in high summer. Later in the year, plan lighting: in December it’s dark by about 3:55pm.
- Share your date, venue, numbers and plans for the day.
- We plan a menu with you, course by course, and confirm a quote.
- We fit our timings around your speeches, photos and venue.
- On the day, we set up, cook in front of your guests and serve each course.
- We pack down our cooking area, with staff staying as long as agreed.
Preparing for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Plan cover in case of rain
How to get a price
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
Planning help
How our wedding paella catering works in Hildenborough
Timing is everything with paella: once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and it is best served right away. We plan it around your speeches and photos. We are often asked to cater relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts and food for evening guests, serving canapé tapas, Spanish desserts and a paella wedding breakfast.
There is something special about a country wedding near Hildenborough, and paella cooking in the open air adds to it. Plan for access and a wet-weather cover. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
Common questions in Hildenborough
Which station should guests use for Hildenborough?
Hildenborough station, about 0.7 miles west of the centre.
We are having a ceremony at Parish Church of St John: 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. Tell us where the reception will be.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Tell us your date and numbers for a clear quote.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We’ll make a plan B with you.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Usually we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, because we use gas burners. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
How much paella per person?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Nearby places to Hildenborough
What else we do in Hildenborough
Live paella or other catering?
Buffets can mean food sitting for a while. Paella goes straight from pan to plate. Larger events generally cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why Hildenborough hosts choose us
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- We cover Hildenborough and the whole of Kent
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
Take a look at How we price And What paella catering costs.
Space, weather and the venue
Every venue is different, so we’ll ask about yours when you contact us. In general, we need:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- A separate open-sided gazebo if the meal is in a marquee
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Hildenborough
- Canapé tapas
- Table tapas
- Sangria & bar staff
- Evening paella
- Dessert
- Paella wedding breakfast
Working with your venue
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Choose pan-side or table service
- Put us in touch with your venue
- Collect dietary needs on the RSVP
- Tell us how many evening guests to expect
We clear our cooking area away afterwards; any staff stay as long as agreed.
Canapé tapas with the drinks reception keep guests going during photos.
Why choose wedding paella catering in Hildenborough?
It’s a natural fit for barns, marquees and gardens, where plated meals are harder.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Hildenborough:
- Big weddings with every diet
- Marquee and garden weddings
- Food for evening guests
- Sharing-style wedding meals
If you are hoping for photos in Haysden Country Park, check whether the park needs permission for photography or gatherings.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- What happens if it rains
Wedding venues and ceremonies near Hildenborough
Hildenborough is about 2 miles north-west of Tonbridge, in Kent. Wherever your wedding is in the TN11 area, we can bring the pans to you. Hildenborough is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. You can also see our page for London, about 24 miles away.
Put the station on your invitation: Hildenborough station is about 0.7 miles away. Couples marrying at local churches such as Parish Church of St John often hold the reception nearby: we can be cooking during the photos, so it is ready as guests arrive.
This part of Kent takes in TN11, and we can cater your wedding anywhere in it. Streets in the area include Church Road, London Road and Mount Pleasant, and we can cook for a wedding on any of them. Being close to the B245, Hildenborough is simple for us to get to. Nearby, we also cater weddings in Stocks Green (1 mile south-west), Hilden Park (1 mile south-east), Watt's Cross (1 mile north-west), Coldharbour (1 mile north-east) and Budds (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (13 miles east), Sevenoaks (5 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (6 miles south), Swanley (13 miles north), Kings Hill (8 miles north-east) and Foley Park (13 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include The Milne Museum (1.8 miles south-east) and Tonbridge Cottage Hospital (3 miles south-east). Open spaces near Hildenborough include Barden Lake and Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve.
- Local schools include Hilden Grange School (1.5 miles south-east) and Hugh Christie Technology College (1.8 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include The Flying Dutchman Public House (under half a mile south-east)
What wedding paella catering costs
These are the factors that matter most:
- Travel, parking and access
- The length of service
- How many courses
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Getting an accurate quote
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Expected numbers
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
DIY paella versus live catering
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
- 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