West Sussex · England
Festival Paella Catering in Merston
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events makes the food a highlight of your event in Merston.
- Seasonal markets
- Open days
- School and charity events
Festival paella catering near Merston
Festival paella catering for your event in Merston
Crew and volunteer catering can be timed to your schedule, keeping your team fed. Typical bookings include summer fairs and fêtes and county and country shows, serving giant-pan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and churros.
At a field event near Merston, power and water may be limited; tell us what’s available and we will plan around it. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, never made in advance and reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
- Where
- Merston (PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Organising for someone else?
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Merston? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
How it works
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Guests typically gather round to watch as the paella takes shape. Evening events in Merston have light until about 9:20pm at midsummer; after dark, we need a lit pitch.
- Tell us about the event and pitch.
- We send our menu, needs and paperwork.
- We arrive and set up at the agreed time.
- We cook and serve throughout.
- We clear and leave the pitch clean.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Ask for a quote
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can use our quote form.
Related guides
Prices and what affects them
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- The paellas you choose
- Guest numbers
- How many courses
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Getting an accurate quote
These details help us quote quickly:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Which courses you have in mind
- What the venue already provides
- Any dietary needs and allergies
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Community events around Merston
Merston is about 3 miles south-east of Chichester, in West Sussex. Anywhere in PO20, we can bring the pans to you. We cover 371 places across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 26 miles away.
For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Church of St Giles, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. School fairs, for a school like Chichester Free School, are a natural fit for a paella stall. With the sea within about 4 miles, we plan shelter from the wind for coastal events, and seafood paella sells well by the sea.
For festival paella catering in PO20, we plan around your venue. Nearby, we also cater events in Runcton (1 mile south-west), Colworth (1 mile east), Oving (1 mile north), North Mundham (1 mile west) and Lagness (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Worthing (15 miles east), Bognor Regis (3 miles south-east), Chichester (3 miles north-west), Selsey (6 miles south), Littlehampton (9 miles east) and Emsworth (9 miles west).
Nearby you will also find The Chichester City Museum (2.3 miles north-west) and St Richard's Hospital (2.3 miles north-west).
- Schools near Merston include North Mundham Primary School (1.2 miles west) and Chichester High School For Girls (2.1 miles west)
DIY paella versus live catering
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Also near Merston
What else we do in Merston
Events we cater in Merston
It suits outdoor events of all sizes.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Open days
- Food and music festivals
- Farmers’ and Christmas markets
- Feeding crew and volunteers
For visitors coming by rail, the nearest station is Chichester station, about 2.3 miles west.
Comparing caterers
- Space, access and power needs
- How long the team stays
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
Planning the cooking area
If a space is not suitable, we will tell you. The main points are:
- A pitch away from tents and structures
- Vehicle access before and after the event
- Room for our cooking and serving area
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
What we offer
- Churros
- Tapas
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Giant paella pans
What’s in the pans
Giant paella pans
A pan the size of a cartwheel, full of saffron rice.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Popular with families.
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Plan for vegan and gluten-free visitors
- Ask traders about packaging and waste
- Plan seating near the food area
- Ask about peak-time capacity
We cook in full view of visitors, serving throughout the event.
Larger pans for peak times.
Common questions in Merston
Can you cook near the sea around Merston?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Can you run a stall at a school fair in Merston?
Yes, if the school is happy for us to cook on site. Tell us the date and pitch details.
Can you cater for children?
Yes. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
How quickly can you serve?
It is one of the quickest hot foods to serve, ideal for peak times.
Can vegans eat at your stall?
Yes, always. A vegan paella pan sits alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Can you cater for crew and volunteers?
We can. Crew, volunteer and VIP catering is available, with or without a public stall.
How much space do you need?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Can you provide dessert?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.
- 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