West Sussex · England
Festival Paella Catering for Thorney Island events
Looking for festival paella catering in Thorney Island? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Festivals
- Community events and open days
- Village fêtes
Festival paella catering for Thorney Island events
About our festival paella catering in Thorney Island
Nothing draws a festival crowd like a huge paella. People follow the smell, and service from the pan is fast. Whether it’s feeding crew and volunteers and christmas and farmers’ markets, we’ll put together a menu of seafood paella, chicken and chorizo paella and giant-pan paella.
At a field event near Thorney Island, power and water may be limited; let us know and we’ll plan for it. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
- Location
- Thorney Island (PO10)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Live paella or other catering?
Hot-cabinet food lacks theatre. A giant pan cooking in view sells itself. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Why book with us
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- We cover Thorney Island and the whole of West Sussex
Take a look at Our prices page Or What paella catering costs.
Towns and villages near Thorney Island
Also in Thorney Island
About the dishes
Giant paella pans
Huge pans of golden rice, cooking in full view.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Smoky and filling.
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’ll follow them.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Diets, allergies and planning
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Ensure the line-up includes vegan and gluten-free options
- Ask traders about serving speed at peak times
- Book crew catering in advance
- Give traders a single information pack
Allergen information is available at the stall.
Tapas and churros can be added to a stall menu.
Fairs, fêtes and events in Thorney Island
Thorney Island is about 4 miles south-east of Havant, in West Sussex. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Thorney Island. Thorney Island is one of 371 towns and villages in West Sussex where we cook. Our events stretch from Thorney Island to Southampton (about 21 miles away).
For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as The Parish Church of St Nicholas, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. For visitors coming by rail, the nearest station is Southbourne station, about 1.8 miles north-east. With the sea within about 4 miles, we plan shelter from the wind for coastal events.
We cater events across the PO10 postcode area and the streets around it. From Hunter Road, Emsworth Road and Spartan Close or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. Other places close to Thorney Island for festival paella catering include West Thorney (1 mile south-east), North Hayling (1 mile west), Tye (1 mile south-west), Northney (1 mile west) and Emsworth (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Bognor Regis (11 miles east), Chichester (7 miles east), Selsey (9 miles south-east), Portfield (7 miles east), Yapton (14 miles east) and East Wittering (5 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Havant War Memorial Hospital (3.2 miles north-west) and Emsworth Museum (1.6 miles north). Open spaces near Thorney Island include Nutborne Marshes.
- Nearby schools include Bourne Community College (1.9 miles north)
Thorney Island questions
How far is Thorney Island from London?
About 59 miles from central London.
Do you trade at school fairs around Thorney Island?
Yes, if the school is happy for us to cook on site. Send us the date, pitch and expected numbers.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Tell us how many are coming.
How many different paellas?
Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Can you feed our volunteers?
Yes, timed to your schedule. Tell us numbers and timings.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
Can you cook indoors?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, because we use gas burners. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Occasions we cook for in Thorney Island
One trader, many diets.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Charity and school events
- Village fêtes
- Open days and community events
- Crew, volunteer and VIP catering
Events in parks such as Eames Farm need permission from the council or landowner, and we’ll send any documents they ask for.
Questions to ask before booking
- Staff numbers and hours
- How each diet is kept separate
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Whether VAT is included
What we need at the venue
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Room for our cooking and serving area
- Clear information on power, water and waste
- Clearance from tents and gazebos
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Thorney Island
- Giant paella pans
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Tapas
- Churros
- Vegan paella
What happens on the day
Expect a friendly, organised team. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. At midsummer, events in Thorney Island stay light until about 9:20pm, so evening trading usually finishes in daylight in high summer. Winter markets, dark by about 4:00pm, need a well-lit pitch.
- First, we check the dates.
- We agree menu and pitch.
- We set up our burners and pans.
- Pans are cooking as gates open.
- We serve, then pack down.
Before we arrive
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Let us know the timings for the day
Getting a price
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
- 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