Kent · England
Wedding Paella Catering for Shirkoak 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 Shirkoak.
- Weddings with lots of dietary needs
- Food for evening guests
- Receptions after an intimate ceremony
Wedding paella catering near Shirkoak
Wedding paella catering for your wedding in Shirkoak
A wedding paella is food and entertainment at once. Guests wander over to watch while the photos are taken, and the food arrives hot and plentiful. Typical bookings include weddings with a Spanish theme and relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts, with canapé tapas, a paella wedding breakfast and table tapas.
A wedding in a small place like Shirkoak frequently means a field, a barn or a family garden. Live paella is made for that: no kitchen, just a level, sheltered spot. Let us know about access and ground. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Step by step
The paella is cooked in huge, shallow pans over gas burners. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, and we agree where that is before the day. For a summer wedding in Shirkoak, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, which means evening paella is typically 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.
- Share your date, venue, numbers and plans for the day.
- We plan a menu with you, course by course, and confirm a quote.
- We agree timings with you and your venue, including speeches and photos.
- On the day we set up, cook live and serve each course as planned.
- Afterwards we clear our area; any staff you’ve booked stay as planned.
Getting ready for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
Get a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the 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.
Related guides
Where we can cook in Shirkoak
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but a few things matter:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- A cooking spot outside the marquee, not inside it
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Popular choices
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Canapé tapas
- Dessert
- Table tapas
- Evening paella
- Sangria & bar staff
A closer look at the menu
Desserts
Spanish desserts from churros to crema catalana.
Canapé tapas
Canapé tapas fill the gap before the meal.
Why choose live paella in Shirkoak?
A plated wedding breakfast needs a kitchen and a large team. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission, and feels more relaxed. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why Shirkoak hosts choose us
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Catering across Kent, including Shirkoak
- No hidden extras in your quote
See How we price And What paella catering costs.
Occasions we cook for in Shirkoak
A sharing-style meal gets guests talking across the tables, which suits a relaxed wedding.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Weddings with lots of dietary needs
- Sharing-style wedding meals
- Rustic barn weddings
- Garden and marquee weddings
Nearby historic houses include Smallhythe Place (4.8 miles south-west). If your reception is at a historic house or estate, ask early about its rules on caterers and live cooking.
Before booking anyone
- When payment is due
- What happens if it rains
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- What the caterer needs from your venue
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. 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.
Wedding venues and ceremonies near Shirkoak
Shirkoak is about 5 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. We bring wedding paella catering to gardens, halls and venues around Shirkoak and the surrounding area. Shirkoak is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Shirkoak to Canterbury (about 19 miles away).
If you’re marrying at a church near Shirkoak, such as Parish Church of All Saints, a reception in a garden, marquee or hired venue nearby keeps the day flowing: we can be cooking during the photos, so it is ready as guests arrive. Orlestone Forest nearby makes a lovely backdrop for photos, and the countryside around Shirkoak suits an outdoor reception.
We cover weddings in every part of the TN26 postcode area. We can cater a wedding on streets such as Bethersden Road, Shirkoak Park and Redbrook Street or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Shirkoak, we also cover Woodchurch (1 mile south), Brattle (1 mile south), Brook Street (2 miles south), Leigh Green (3 miles south-west) and Appledore Heath (4 miles south). Larger places within reach include Ashford (5 miles north-east), Hythe (14 miles east), Tenterden (4 miles south-west), Bearsted (15 miles north-west), Park Wood (14 miles north-west) and Kennington (7 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Romden Castle (4.6 miles north-west) and Woodchurch Village Life Museum (0.7 miles south). Not far away are Orlestone Forest.
- Nearby, you will find The Bonny Cravat Inn (0.7 miles south)
What affects the price in Shirkoak
There’s nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- How many guests are eating
- Waiting and bar staff
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Your choice of paellas
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- The date and time of the event
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The address or venue name
- Diets and allergies you know about
Send us the date, your venue or TN26 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Other catering in Shirkoak
Planners, venues and businesses
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.
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
Shirkoak questions
Do you come out to small places like Shirkoak?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Could we have live paella in Stone Wood?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
What if the timings change?
We adapt. We stay in touch with your coordinator so the paella is served fresh.
Can you cater for children?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
Can we try the food first?
Mention a tasting in your enquiry, and we will explain how it works.
What does wedding paella catering cost?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas for a clear quote.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
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.
- 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