Brighton and Hove · England
Festival & event paella in Ovingdean, Brighton and Hove
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Ovingdean and the surrounding area.
- Agricultural and county shows
- VIP and hospitality areas
- Food and music festivals
Live festival paella catering in Ovingdean
Festival paella catering in Ovingdean, cooked live
Big batches mean lunchtime rushes are easy. Portions are served in seconds. For charity and school events and crew, volunteer and VIP catering, we can cook vegan paella, churros and giant-pan paella and more.
Near Ovingdean, events may be far from shops and cafés, so a paella stall is a welcome sight. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Location
- Ovingdean (BN2)
- Region
- Brighton and Hove
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
About the dishes
Seafood paella
Seafood paella is always popular.
Chicken & chorizo paella
A crowd-pleaser for meat eaters.
Diets, allergies and planning
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Ask traders about serving speed at peak times
- Schedule crew meals
- Plan for vegan and gluten-free visitors
- Provide seating near the food
If crew or volunteer meals are booked, they’re served at the agreed times.
Tapas and churros can be added to a stall menu.
How the day works
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring. At midsummer, events in Ovingdean stay light until about 9:15pm, which helps evening trading. Winter markets, dark by about 3:55pm, need a well-lit pitch.
- Tell us about the event, the crowd and the pitch.
- You get our stall menu and what we need on site.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
Getting a price
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, use our quote form.
Related guides
What festival paella catering costs
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- The length of service
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- How many guests are eating
- Waiting and bar staff
There is 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. We itemise everything in your quote.
What to tell us
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Expected numbers
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Where the event is
- Diets and allergies you know about
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Towns and villages near Ovingdean
Also in Ovingdean
Perfect for your event in Ovingdean
It works at small fêtes and big festivals.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Country shows
- Feeding crew and volunteers
- School fairs and fundraisers
- Festivals
Events in parks such as Beacon Hill need permission from the council or landowner, and we will send any documents they ask for.
What your quote should include
- Who provides the crockery
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Any travel, parking or access charges
Fairs, fêtes and events in Ovingdean
Ovingdean is about 3 miles south-east of Hanover, in Brighton and Hove. Events in Ovingdean are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. Ovingdean is one of 30 towns and villages in Brighton and Hove where we cook.
If you’re organising a summer fair or fundraiser for a school such as Ovingdean Hall School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as St Wulfran's Church, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. Events in and around the South Downs National Park, within about 6 miles of Ovingdean, often have rules about vehicles, ground and waste; we’ll follow the site’s requirements. With the sea within about 3 miles, we plan shelter from the wind for coastal events, and seafood paella sells well by the sea.
This part of Brighton and Hove takes in BN2. Streets in the area include Longhill Road, Ovingdean Road and Wanderdown Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. For events just outside Ovingdean, we cover Rottingdean (1 mile east), Roedean (1 mile west), Saltdean (2 miles south-east), East Saltdean (2 miles south-east) and Telscombe (3 miles east). Further out, we also cater in Brighton (3 miles north-west), Brighton and Hove (5 miles west), Hove (4 miles west), Carlton Hill (3 miles west), Hanover (3 miles north-west) and West Hill (3 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include Brighton Motor Museum (1.9 miles west) and French Convalescent Home (1.5 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Newmarket Hill and Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve.
- Nearby schools include Longhill High School (under half a mile north-east) and Our Lady of Lourdes RC School (0.9 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include Duck Inn (0.9 miles south-east)
Should I cook it myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Is live paella right for your event?
Burger stalls are common. Paella adds something different. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Why choose Love Paella in Ovingdean
- A clear, itemised quote
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Take a look at Our prices page And The cost guide.
FAQs for Ovingdean
Can you cook near the sea around Ovingdean?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Can you cook in Beacon Hill?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Where do you cater?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Ovingdean.
Can you cater for children?
Yes. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Tell us your date and numbers and we’ll reply with a price.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
For planners, venues and organisers
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Organising a club, school or community event in Ovingdean? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
- 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