Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Abbotswood, Surrey
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Abbotswood and the surrounding area.
- Community events and fairs
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Anniversary celebrations
Paella catering near Abbotswood
Common questions in Abbotswood
Can you cook at venues in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
Is Abbotswood close to London?
Roughly 27 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
How do you work out quantities?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Accurate numbers help.
Is paella a full meal?
Paella is a meal in itself. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Which areas do you serve?
We cater across London and the South East, Surrey included. Find your area.
Is halal food available?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
How soon do we need to book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
How our paella catering works in Abbotswood
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. Once it’s ready, we serve it hot from the pan. Whether it’s big birthdays and weddings, from canapés to evening food, we can cook vegetable paella, paella Valenciana and black rice.
In a smaller place like Abbotswood, a garden party is often the simplest option: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Let us know about access to the house. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can enjoy your guests.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Working with your venue
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Catering an event in Abbotswood
Abbotswood is about 1 mile south-east of Guildford, in Surrey. Across the GU1 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. Abbotswood is one of 395 places in Surrey we cover.
For guests coming by train, London Road (Guildford) station is in Abbotswood itself. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Christ Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Abbotswood, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Anywhere in GU1, we can bring paella catering to you. Whether your event is on York Road, Stoke Road and Maori Road or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. Abbotswood sits on or near the A246 and A3100, so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. Close by, we cover events in Guildford (1 mile north-west), Burpham (1 mile north-east), Bellfields (1 mile north-west), Merrow (1 mile east) and East Shalford (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Woking (5 miles north), Camberley (10 miles north-west), Epsom (14 miles north-east), Farnham (10 miles west), Ewell (15 miles north-east) and Egham (13 miles north).
A little further out are St. Luke’s Hospital (within half a mile south) and Guildford Castle (0.7 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Silent Pool and Pewley Down.
- Schools near Abbotswood include Guildford High School (under half a mile north-west) and Holy Trinity (0.5 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Rats Castle pub (less than half a mile south-west)
Space, weather and the venue
We will be honest if a space won’t work, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
What paella catering costs
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Timings and hours
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Details that help
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- What the venue already provides
- The date and rough timings
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Tell us about your event in Abbotswood, and we will put together a menu and price.
Is live paella right for your event?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
Why book with us
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Drinks service on request
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- No hidden extras in your quote
Take a look at Our prices page And The cost guide.
The process
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first as the rice is cooking. Evenings in Abbotswood stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Give us a contact for the day
Get a quote
Send us the date, your venue or GU1 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Occasions we cook for in Abbotswood
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. In Abbotswood, people book us for occasions like:
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Stoke Park? Public parks usually need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
Before you book anyone
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How long the team stays
- How each diet is kept separate
- How bad weather is handled
DIY paella versus live catering
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Also near Abbotswood
Also in Abbotswood
- 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