Kent · England
Wedding Paella Catering for Istead Rise events
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food makes the food a highlight of your wedding in Istead Rise.
- Spanish-themed and destination-style weddings
- Evening wedding food
- Barn and farm weddings
Live wedding paella catering in Istead Rise
Common questions in Istead Rise
Do you come out to small places like Istead Rise?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
We are having a ceremony at Saint Barnabus Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
How far ahead should we book?
The sooner the better. Peak dates go quickly, so contact us early.
What space do you need to cook?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. Send us a picture if you are not sure.
Do you take everything away?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Can you feed our photographer and band?
Yes, include them in your numbers. Let us know when they need feeding.
Do you cater for young children?
Children are welcome. Let us know numbers and ages, and we will plan a pan with them in mind.
Is halal food available?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in its own pan.
Wedding paella catering in Istead Rise, cooked live
Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff can be added, to suit the style of your day. Whether it is weddings with mixed diets and relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts, we’ll put together a menu of canapé tapas, table tapas and a paella wedding breakfast for your guests.
Near Istead Rise, weddings are frequently in fields, barns or gardens. Live paella is made for that: no kitchen needed, just a level, sheltered spot. Tell us about lanes, gates and ground conditions. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Why choose live paella in Istead Rise?
Food trucks serve one order at a time, which can mean long queues at a wedding. Paella pans serve many guests quickly. The cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
What you get with us
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- We cover Istead Rise and the whole of Kent
Take a look at How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Planning the cooking area
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
What we offer
- Dessert
- Evening paella
- Table tapas
- Canapé tapas
- Sangria & bar staff
- Paella wedding breakfast
Perfect for your wedding in Istead Rise
It gives guests something to do between the ceremony and the meal: gather round the cooking.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Istead Rise and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Food for evening guests
- Wedding receptions after a small ceremony
- Sharing-style wedding meals
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
Put the station on your invitation: the nearest station is Meopham station, about 1.3 miles south.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- The deposit and payment dates
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Allergen information for each dish
Istead Rise weddings: local tips
Istead Rise is about 2 miles south of Northfleet, in Kent. We cook at weddings in gardens, halls and venues around Istead Rise and nearby villages. We cater in all 922 towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is London, about 20 miles away.
If you’re marrying at a church near Istead Rise, such as Saint Barnabus Church, a reception in a garden, marquee or hired venue nearby keeps the day flowing: we can be cooking during the photos, so the meal is ready when you arrive. If you are hoping for photos in Jeskyns, check whether the park needs permission for photography or gatherings.
Anywhere in DA13, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. That could mean a wedding in a garden on Elwill Way, Lesley Close and Upper Avenue or the roads around them. Other places close to Istead Rise for wedding paella catering include Northfleet Green (1 mile north-west), Singlewell or Ifield (1 mile north-east), Southfleet (1 mile north-west), Painters Ash (1 mile north) and Henhurst (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (12 miles south-east), Dartford (6 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (11 miles south-west), Tonbridge (15 miles south), Swanley (8 miles west) and Kings Hill (9 miles south).
A little further out are Gravesham Museum (2.7 miles north) and Stone Castle (4.1 miles north-west). Open spaces near Istead Rise include Sawyers Lake and Gad's Hill.
- Nearby schools include Saint George's Church of England School (1.7 miles north)
The process
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. For a summer wedding in Istead Rise, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, which means evening paella is normally served in daylight in June and July. For autumn and winter weddings, when it is dark by about 3:50pm in December, plan lighting for the cooking area.
- First, we check your date.
- You pick the courses and dishes.
- We confirm everything with your venue.
- Guests watch the paella cook during the reception.
- We serve and clear our cooking area.
Preparing for the day
- Give us a contact for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
How to get a price
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Read more
Planning for every diet
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Confirm the venue’s catering rules early
- Tell us how many evening guests to expect
- Include any suppliers you are feeding
- Enquire early for peak dates
Paella can be served at the pans or carried to the tables by staff, whichever suits your day.
Add sangria, or bar staff to serve your own drinks.
For event organisers in Istead Rise
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Istead Rise? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
Nearby places to Istead Rise
More for events in Istead Rise
What wedding paella catering costs
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, because of:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- How many staff you need
- Travel, parking and access
- Guest numbers
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
What to tell us
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- What the venue already provides
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Expected numbers
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
- 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