East Sussex · England
Festival Paella Catering in Lewes
Something for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Lewes.
- Christmas and farmers’ markets
- School fairs and fundraisers
- Music and food festivals
Festival paella catering in Lewes
How it works
We get there well before serving, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Your guests are welcome to watch as the paella takes shape. For an evening event in Lewes, sunset is about 8:50pm in late May and 9:15pm in late June; after dark, we need a lit pitch.
- Send the event name, expected visitors and pitch size.
- We reply with our menu, prices for visitors and requirements.
- We send the documents the event asks for.
- We time the first pans for the lunchtime rush.
- At close, we pack down and tidy up.
How to prepare
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Tell us where to park and unload
Ask for a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Tell us about your event in Lewes, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning help
Festival paella catering in Lewes, made fresh on the day
One paella stall covers many diets: meat, seafood and vegan pans side by side. That makes life easier for organisers. For summer fairs and fêtes and crew, volunteer and VIP catering, we can cook seafood paella, churros and chicken and chorizo paella and more.
School fairs, fêtes and summer events in Lewes suit a paella stall: it draws a crowd and serves quickly. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
- Area
- Lewes (BN7, BN8, BN6, RH15)
- County
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. 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.
What’s in the pans
Seafood paella
The seafood pan is a festival favourite.
Chicken & chorizo paella
A crowd-pleaser for meat eaters.
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- Clearance from tents and gazebos
- Details of power, water and waste arrangements
- Access for unloading at set-up
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Giant paella pans
- Churros
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Tapas
For event organisers in Lewes
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
Events in public spaces, like parks, normally need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Fairs, fêtes and events in Lewes
Lewes is about 7 miles north-east of Brighton, in East Sussex. We cook at events in gardens, halls and venues around Lewes and nearby villages. Lewes is one of 289 places in East Sussex we cover. We cook right across the region, from Lewes to Brighton (about 7 miles away).
For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Church of St John sub Castro, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. School fairs, for a school like Lewes Old Grammar School, are a natural fit for a paella stall. Events in and around the South Downs National Park, within about a mile of Lewes, often have rules about vehicles, ground and waste; we will follow the site’s requirements.
For festival paella catering in BN7, BN8, BN6 and RH15, we plan around your venue and timings. Streets in the area include Market Lane, Market Street and High Street, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Lewes sits on or near the A26 and A275, so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. Neighbouring places where we cater events include South Malling (1 mile north-east), Southover (1 mile south-east), Cliffe (1 mile east), Offham (1 mile north-west) and Hamsey (1 mile north). We also cook in nearby towns such as Eastbourne (14 miles south-east), Seaford (8 miles south-east), Hailsham (11 miles east), Crowborough (14 miles north-east), Uckfield (8 miles north-east) and Newhaven (6 miles south). Lewes is one of the larger places we cover in East Sussex, with plenty of venues for events.
A little further out are Lewes Castle (within half a mile south) and St John under the Castle Lewes (less than half a mile north). Green spaces nearby include Offham Hill and Malling Down.
- Nearby schools include St Pancras Catholic Primary School (under half a mile south-west) and Priory School (0.7 miles south-east)
- Nearby, you will find Elephant and Castle pub (under half a mile south-east)
How we price festival paella catering
These are the factors that matter most:
- How many courses
- Your choice of paellas
- How many guests are eating
- The length of service
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Details that help
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- Anything your venue supplies
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The address or venue name
- The date and rough timings
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote.
Towns and villages near Lewes
What else we do in Lewes
Lewes questions
Is Lewes close to London?
Roughly 43 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Which station should guests use for Lewes?
Lewes station, about 0.6 miles south-east of the centre.
Can we book you as a trader?
Tell us about your event, and we’ll reply with our availability and what we need.
Do you cook inside?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Can vegans eat at your stall?
Yes, always. There is a vegan pan next to the others.
What do you need at the pitch?
Send pitch details and we’ll confirm.
Paella compared with other options
Burger and hot dog stalls are familiar but similar. Paella adds something different in a food line-up. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why us?
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
Planning for every diet
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Plan seating near the food area
- Send traders one clear trader pack
- Check how many portions traders can serve
- Make allergen information visible at every stall
We clear the pitch and leave it as we found it.
A vegan pan alongside the meat and seafood pans.
- 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