East Sussex · England
Festival Paella Catering for North Chailey events
Paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in North Chailey: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- School fairs and fundraisers
- Music and food festivals
- County and country shows
Book festival paella catering in North Chailey
Festival paella catering for your event in North Chailey
Paella in a bowl is perfect festival food, standing up or sitting on the grass. Typical bookings include farmers’ and Christmas markets and feeding crew and volunteers, with churros, giant-pan paella and seafood paella.
Rural events near North Chailey can be a long way from food outlets, so a paella stall is a welcome sight. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
- Location
- North Chailey (BN8)
- Area hub
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
How the day works
Watching it cook is half the fun. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. For an evening event in North Chailey, sunset is about 8:50pm in late May and 9:20pm in late June; after dark, we need a lit pitch.
- You send us the event, dates and pitch details.
- We confirm our menu, pitch needs and documents.
- On the day, we arrive and set up our pitch.
- The paella cooks in full view, and we serve from the pan through the event.
- At the end, we clear our pitch.
How to prepare
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Get a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we are available that day.
Read more
Live paella or other catering?
Some traders struggle with vegan and gluten-free options. A vegan paella pan sits alongside the others. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why choose Love Paella in North Chailey
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Drinks service on request
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
See How we price Or The cost guide.
North Chailey: your questions answered
What’s the nearest station to North Chailey for guests?
The closest is Plumpton station, roughly 3.6 miles away.
Do you come out to small places like North Chailey?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Can we book you as a trader?
Send us the event details, dates and pitch information, and we will let you know if we are available.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Do you cook inside?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Who books festival paella catering in North Chailey?
It suits outdoor events of all sizes.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Agricultural and county shows
- School fairs and fundraisers
- Food and music festivals
- Seasonal markets
For visitors coming by rail, the nearest station is Plumpton station, about 3.6 miles south-west.
Comparing caterers
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How each diet is kept separate
- Whether VAT is included
- The deadline for final numbers
Nearby places to North Chailey
More for events in North Chailey
Running an event in North Chailey
North Chailey is about 4 miles south-east of Haywards Heath, in East Sussex. For festival paella catering in North Chailey, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. North Chailey is one of 289 towns and villages in East Sussex where we cook. We cook right across the region, from North Chailey to Brighton (about 11 miles away).
For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Church of Our Lady, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. School fairs, for a school like Chailey Heritage School, are a natural fit for a paella stall. Events in and around the South Downs National Park, within about 6 miles of North Chailey, frequently have rules about vehicles, ground and waste; we’ll follow the site’s requirements.
Anywhere in BN8, we can bring festival paella catering to you. Whether your event is on Station Road, Downs View and Downs View Close or a nearby road, we can cook there. You’ll find North Chailey on the A275, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. Other places close to North Chailey for festival paella catering include Chailey (1 mile south), Newick (1 mile east), South Street (2 miles south), Founthill (2 miles east) and Scaynes Hill (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Seaford (15 miles south), Lewes (7 miles south), Hailsham (14 miles south-east), Crowborough (10 miles north-east), Uckfield (5 miles east) and Newhaven (13 miles south).
A little further out are Heaven Farm Museum (3.4 miles north) and Waterbury Castle (4.7 miles north). Open spaces near North Chailey include Ashenground and Bolnore Woods.
- Schools near North Chailey include Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School (0.9 miles south) and Chailey School (2.3 miles south)
DIY paella versus live catering
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Planners, venues and businesses
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Prices and what affects them
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many staff you need
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Parking and unloading
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What to tell us
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Anything your venue supplies
- The courses you’d like
- The address or venue name
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can send us your details through our quote form.
Catering for every guest
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Provide seating near the food
- Make allergen information visible at every stall
- Make sure the line-up includes vegan and gluten-free options
- Give traders a single information pack
Allergen details are available at the stall.
Bowls and forks for eating on the go.
What we need at the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- A pitch big enough for the pans, burners and serving table
- Vehicle access before and after the event
- Details of power, water and waste arrangements
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
What we offer
- Tapas
- Giant paella pans
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Churros
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- 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