Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Abinger, Surrey
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Abinger. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Anniversary celebrations
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Live paella catering in Abinger
About our paella catering in Abinger
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. When it’s ready, it’s served straight from the pan. On the menu are vegan paella, vegetable paella and mixed paella, and we are frequently booked for summer garden parties and engagement and anniversary parties.
In a small place like Abinger, events are typically in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
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 for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Questions from Abinger
What’s the nearest station to Abinger for guests?
The closest is Gomshall station, roughly 1.7 miles away.
How far is Abinger from London?
Roughly 24 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you cook indoors?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, since the burners are gas. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
How much is live paella catering?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
Can you serve drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Which paella is most popular?
Two or three is usual: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Our menu lists the options.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
What we need at the venue
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Towns and villages near Abinger
Other catering in Abinger
Planners, venues and businesses
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
What paella catering costs
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The paellas you choose
- The number of people
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Details that help
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- The address or venue name
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we will suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
The process
A typical event goes like this: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan at the agreed time. Around midsummer it stays light in Abinger until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
How to prepare
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Related guides
Abinger: venues, travel and local tips
Abinger is about 4 miles south-west of Dorking, in Surrey. For an event in Abinger, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Abinger. We cater in 395 places in Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Abinger to Guildford (8 miles away).
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St James, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Wotton and Abinger Commons? Public parks usually need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 3 miles of Abinger. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Anywhere in RH5, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. That could mean an event in a garden on Raikes Lane, Sutton Lane and Abinger Lane or the roads around them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Sutton Abinger (1 mile west), Abinger Hammer (1 mile north-west), Hoe (1 mile west), Gomshall (2 miles north-west) and Shere (3 miles west). Larger places within reach include Guildford (8 miles west), Woking (10 miles north-west), Epsom (11 miles north-east), Horley (11 miles east), Redhill (11 miles east) and Ewell (12 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Abinger Castle (under half a mile south-east) and Mesolithic Museum (within half a mile south). The countryside around Abinger includes Leith Hill and Combe Bottom.
- Nearby schools include Hurtwood House (2.3 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Abinger Hatch Public House (less than half a mile south-east)
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Confirm allergies by email
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If plans change, tell us and we will adjust.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Why choose paella catering in Abinger?
It needs no kitchen, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
In Abinger and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Naming days and family parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Engagement and anniversary parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Gomshall station, about 1.7 miles north-west.
Questions to ask before you book
- How late numbers can change
- Allergen information for each dish
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- The venue requirements
- 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