Greater London · England
Festival Paella Catering in Shirley Oaks
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Shirley Oaks. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- VIP and hospitality areas
- County and country shows
- Festivals
Festival paella catering for Shirley Oaks events
How our festival paella catering works in Shirley Oaks
We can trade as a stall or cook for crew, volunteers and VIP areas. On the menu are churros, giant-pan paella and vegan paella, and we are regularly asked to cater open days and community events and farmers’ and Christmas markets.
In Shirley Oaks, community events include street parties, school fairs and markets. Public spaces typically need council permission, and we’ll send whatever the organiser needs. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
- Area
- Shirley Oaks (CR0, SE25, CR9)
- County
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Diets, allergies and planning
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Give traders a single information pack
- Check every diet is covered by the line-up
- Check how many portions traders can serve
- Check allergen info is on display
If crew or volunteer meals are booked, they’re served at the agreed times.
Extra pans for busy periods.
Before you choose a spot
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Trader information and site rules
- Vehicle access to the pitch at set-up and break-down
- A level pitch on firm ground
As a London location, Shirley Oaks is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Shirley Oaks
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Tapas
- Churros
- Vegan paella
- Giant paella pans
The menu, dish by dish
Chicken & chorizo paella
Smoky and filling.
Vegan paella
Vegan paella cooked separately.
Also near Shirley Oaks
What else we do in Shirley Oaks
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
What festival paella catering costs
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- Your choice of paellas
- Guest numbers
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- The length of service
Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Details that help
To check availability and price, we need:
- The date and rough timings
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Roughly how many adults and children
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Step by step
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, which we agree with you beforehand. Evening events in Shirley Oaks have light until about 9:20pm at midsummer; after that, the pitch needs good lighting.
- We check your dates.
- We agree menu and pitch.
- We set up our burners and pans.
- Pans are cooking as gates open.
- We serve, then clear the pitch at the end.
How to prepare
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Let us know the timings for the day
Ask for a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Running an event in Shirley Oaks
Shirley Oaks is about 2 miles north-east of Croydon, in Greater London. For festival paella catering in Shirley Oaks, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cook in 764 places across Greater London. Our events stretch from Shirley Oaks to London (8 miles away).
Events in parks such as Ashburton Park need permission from the council or landowner, and we will send any documents they ask for. School fairs, for a school like Oasis Academy Shirley Park, are a natural fit for a paella stall.
Anywhere in CR0, SE25 and CR9, we can cook for your guests. From Poppy Lane, Baring Road and Craven Road or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. You will find Shirley Oaks on the A232, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Shirley (1 mile east), Monks Orchard (1 mile east), Addiscombe (1 mile west), Ashburton (1 mile north-west) and Woodside (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include London (8 miles north), City of Westminster (10 miles north-west), Marylebone (10 miles north), Kensington (10 miles north-west), St Pancras (10 miles north) and Shoreditch (10 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include National Psychosis Unit (1.1 miles east) and St George's Walk (1.9 miles west). Open spaces near Shirley Oaks include Bramley Bank and Duppas Hill.
- Nearby schools include St. John's Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Cricketers pub (less than half a mile west)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include Addiscombe (1 mile west)
Shirley Oaks questions
Which station should guests use for Shirley Oaks?
Elmers End station, about 1.2 miles north of the centre.
Can you run a stall at a school fair in Shirley Oaks?
Yes, if the school is happy for us to cook on site. Tell us the date and pitch details.
How many different paellas?
Most events have two or three: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
How quickly can you serve?
Service from the pan is fast, which suits busy periods.
How do you work out quantities?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
What does festival paella catering cost?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Who clears up?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
For event organisers in Shirley Oaks
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Live paella or other catering?
Some traders struggle with vegan and gluten-free options. A vegan paella pan sits alongside the others. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
Why Shirley Oaks hosts choose us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Catering across Greater London, including Shirley Oaks
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Take a look at How we price And The cost guide.
- 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