Surrey · England
Festival Paella Catering for Downside events
Paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Downside: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests.
- Sports club events
- Country shows
- Seasonal markets
Live festival paella catering in Downside
How our festival paella catering works in Downside
Crew meals are timed to your schedule, keeping your team fed. For school fairs and fundraisers and festivals, we can cook vegan paella, giant-pan paella and seafood paella.
At a field event near Downside, power and water may be limited; let us know and we will plan for it. We serve straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and service is quick once it is ready.
Fairs, fêtes and events in Downside
Downside is about 4 miles west of Leatherhead, in Surrey. Events in Downside are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cook in all 395 towns and villages across Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Downside to Guildford (about 8 miles away).
Running a fête for a church like St Michael's Chapel? A paella pan draws people in. School fairs, for a school like St Matthew's CofE Aided Infant School, are a natural fit for a paella stall. Within about 6 miles is the Surrey Hills National Landscape, where events may have extra rules on vehicles and waste; we work to the site rules.
Anywhere in KT11, we can bring festival paella catering to you. Your event could be at a home on Downside Common, Downsview Close and Deacon Close. Close by, we cover events in Hatchford (1 mile west), Martyr's Green (1 mile south-west), Hatchford End (2 miles west), Whiteley Village (3 miles north) and Wisley (3 miles west). Further out, we also cater in Guildford (8 miles south-west), Woking (7 miles west), Camberley (14 miles west), Epsom (6 miles east), Horley (14 miles south-east) and Redhill (12 miles south-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Epsom Cottage Hospital (5.1 miles north-east) and Send and Ripley History Society Museum (3.8 miles west). Open spaces near Downside include Jubilee Wood and Boldermere Lake.
- Schools near Downside include Parkside School (1.2 miles east)
- Nearby, you will find The Plough Public House (0.7 miles north)
Places near Downside
Also in Downside
Questions from Downside
Do you cater in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll follow the site rules.
Which station should guests use for Downside?
Cobham & Stoke Dabernon station, about 1 mile north-east of the centre.
Do you do desserts?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind when you ask for a quote.
Where do you cater?
We cater across London and the South East, Surrey included. See all areas.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will make a plan B with you.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Is halal food available?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Live paella or other catering?
For a stall that adds atmosphere, paella is a strong choice. The cost per head generally 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
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Fast service from the pan
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- A clear, itemised quote
Take a look at How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
What we need at the venue
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Firm, level ground
- Vehicle access to the pitch at set-up and break-down
- Your arrangements for power, water and waste
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Downside
- Vegan paella
- Tapas
- Giant paella pans
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Churros
- Seafood paella
A closer look at the menu
Giant paella pans
It’s the giant pan people come to see.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Popular with families.
Should I cook it myself?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. 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.
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.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Provide seating near the food
- Agree waste arrangements with traders
- Ask for allergen information at each stall
- Schedule crew meals
If crew or volunteer meals are booked, they’re served at the agreed times.
Bowls and forks for eating on the go.
Perfect for your event in Downside
It works at small fêtes and big festivals.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We frequently cook for:
- Summer fairs and fêtes
- Open days
- Food and music festivals
- Sports clubs and race days
For visitors coming by rail, the nearest station is Cobham & Stoke Dabernon station, about 1 mile north-east.
Before you book anyone
- How late numbers can change
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Whether travel is included
- The deposit and payment dates
Prices and what affects them
There’s nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- Timings and hours
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before you book.
What we need to know
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- The date and rough timings
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- What the venue already provides
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, use our quote form.
How the day works
Watching it cook is half the fun. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. For an evening event in Downside, sunset is about 8:55pm in late May and 9:20pm in late June; after that, the pitch needs good lighting.
- Tell us about the event, the crowd and the pitch.
- We reply with our menu, prices for visitors and requirements.
- Paperwork goes over in good time.
- On the day, the pans are on before the busiest hours.
- When trading ends, the pitch is cleared and left clean.
How to prepare
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Give us a contact for the day
Ask for a quote
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Planning help
- 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