East Sussex · England
Festival Paella Catering for Chailey events
Looking for festival paella catering in Chailey? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Food and music festivals
- Sports club events
- Village fêtes
Festival paella catering in Chailey
About our festival paella catering in Chailey
We cook at festivals, fairs, markets, school and charity events, sports days and open days in and around Chailey. Popular choices include churros, seafood paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and we’re often booked for village fêtes and food and music festivals.
A fête near Chailey might be on a field with no mains power; let us know and we will plan for it. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
- Where
- Chailey (BN8)
- Area hub
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Space, weather and the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Clearance from tents and gazebos
- Trader information and site rules
- Details of power, water and waste arrangements
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
On the menu in Chailey
- Seafood paella
- Churros
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Tapas
- Giant paella pans
Nearby places to Chailey
What else we do in Chailey
Questions from Chailey
Is Chailey close to London?
Roughly 37 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
What’s the nearest station to Chailey for guests?
The closest is Plumpton station, roughly 3.1 miles away.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
Can you serve drinks?
Yes, sangria. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Can you cater for children?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is generally popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Is there a vegan option?
Yes. Vegan paella is cooked in its own pan.
Do you do crew catering?
Yes. Crew, volunteer and VIP catering is available, with or without a public stall.
Why choose festival paella catering in Chailey?
It covers several diets with one trader.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Chailey, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Farmers’ and Christmas markets
- School fairs and fundraisers
- VIP and hospitality areas
- Sports club events
Running a fête for a church like The Parish Church of St Peter? A paella pan draws people in.
Before you book anyone
- The venue requirements
- If the price includes VAT
- The deposit and payment dates
- How late numbers can change
Diets, allergies and planning
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Give traders a single information pack
- Check allergen info is on display
- Put picnic tables near the traders
- Ensure the line-up includes vegan and gluten-free options
Allergen information is available at the stall.
Crew, volunteer and VIP catering.
What happens on the day
Here’s how the day normally runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it’s served hot from the pan when you’re ready to eat. Summer events in Chailey have daylight until about 9:20pm at midsummer and about 7:05pm by late September, so evening trading usually finishes in daylight in high summer. For winter markets, dark by about 3:55pm, the pitch needs lighting.
- Organisers send us the event details, dates and pitch information.
- We confirm what we’ll serve, our pitch needs and any paperwork.
- We set up at the agreed time.
- Pans cook in full view and we serve throughout the event.
- We clear the pitch and leave it clean.
Preparing for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Get a quote
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, use our quote form.
Related guides
About the dishes
Seafood paella
Seafood paella is always popular.
Vegan paella
A proper vegan main, in its own pan.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
For event organisers in Chailey
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.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Chailey events: pitches and permissions
Chailey is about 5 miles south-east of Haywards Heath, in East Sussex. From the centre of Chailey to the outskirts, festival paella catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Chailey is one of 289 places in East Sussex we cover. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 10 miles away.
For visitors coming by rail, the nearest station is Plumpton station, about 3.1 miles south-west. If you are organising a summer fair or fundraiser for a school such as Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Events in and around the South Downs National Park, within about 6 miles of Chailey, frequently have rules about vehicles, ground and waste; we will follow the site’s requirements.
We cater events across the BN8 postcode area and the streets around it. We also cook at events in North Chailey (1 mile north), South Street (1 mile south-west), Newick (1 mile north-east), Founthill (1 mile east) and South Chailey (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Seaford (14 miles south), Lewes (6 miles south), Hailsham (13 miles south-east), Crowborough (10 miles north-east), Uckfield (5 miles east) and Newhaven (12 miles south).
Other landmarks nearby include Princess Royal Hospital (4.1 miles north-west). The countryside around Chailey includes Blackcap and Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve.
- Nearby schools include Chailey Heritage School (1.2 miles north-west) and Chailey School (1.6 miles south-west)
- Nearby, you will find The Five Bells Inn (0.5 miles south-west)
Prices and what affects them
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- The length of service
- How many guests are eating
- How many staff you need
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What to tell us
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- Expected numbers
- The address or venue name
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Any dietary needs and allergies
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
- 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