Greater London · England
Live paella catering in Addington, Greater London
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Addington: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Garden get-togethers
Paella catering for Addington events
Addington: venues, travel and local tips
Addington is about 3 miles south-east of Ashburton, in Greater London. Whether your event is in the middle of Addington or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Addington is one of 764 towns and villages in Greater London where we cook. Our nearest city page is London, about 10 miles away.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Addington Park? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
We cover events in every part of the CR0, CR2 and BR4 postcode area and the streets around it. We can cater an event on streets such as Lodge Lane, Falconwood Road and Addington Village Road or the roads around them. Close by, we cover events in Coney Hall (1 mile north), Forestdale (1 mile south), Spring Park (1 mile north), New Addington (1 mile south-east) and Selsdon (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (10 miles north), City of Westminster (12 miles north-west), Marylebone (12 miles north-west), Kensington (12 miles north-west), St Pancras (12 miles north) and Shoreditch (12 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include St George's Walk (3.1 miles west) and Bethlem Museum of the Mind (3 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Bramley Bank and Duppas Hill.
- Nearby schools include John Ruskin College (0.7 miles south-west)
- Local facilities include Addiscombe (2.7 miles north-west)
Paella catering in Addington, made fresh on the day
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields in and around Addington. On the menu are seafood paella, vegetable paella and black rice, and typical bookings are for engagement and anniversary parties and retirement and leaving parties.
London gardens are frequently long and narrow, which is fine for live paella as long as there’s a level spot clear of fences and trees. For an event in Addington, tell us where we can park to unload. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
- Area
- Addington (CR0, CR2, BR4)
- Area hub
- Greater London
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
The process
The cooking is part of the entertainment. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. In Addington, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, 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.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
How to prepare
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Ask for a quote
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
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Where we can cook in Addington
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
As a London location, Addington is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Addington
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
Addington: your questions answered
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is parking a problem for events in Addington?
London parking needs planning: let us know about permits or off-street space. We will work around it.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
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 enough as a main?
It can be. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main, and tapas or dessert can be added.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
What seafood can we have?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu.
Working with your venue
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Dishes our guests love
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a paella that stands on its own. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Events we cater in Addington
There’s no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Applegarth Academy, can book us as a food stall.
Comparing caterers
- The deadline for final numbers
- Space, access and power needs
- If the price includes VAT
- Travel and parking costs
What paella catering costs
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The number of people
- How many staff you need
- How long we are needed on site
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before you book.
Details that help
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- The venue or postcode
- What the venue already provides
- The date and time of the event
- Which courses you have in mind
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, use our quote form.
Planning for every diet
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Let us know about other food at the event
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Sangria and bar staff can be added for your own drinks.
Is live paella right for your event?
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
What you get with us
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Drinks service on request
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Nearby places to Addington
Other catering in Addington
- 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