West Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Almodington
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Almodington. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Garden get-togethers
- Anniversary celebrations
Paella catering near Almodington
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, finished with lemon wedges. It is generally the most photographed pan.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
About our paella catering in Almodington
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We cook paella Valenciana, seafood paella and vegan paella, and we’re frequently booked for milestone birthday parties and garden parties and summer barbecues.
Somewhere as small as Almodington, a garden or field is often the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
- Area
- Almodington (PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
FAQs for Almodington
How far is Almodington from London?
Roughly 59 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Which station should guests use for Almodington?
The closest is Chichester station, roughly 4.2 miles away.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
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.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is typically popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
What happens with live paella?
We set up a cooking area at your venue, cook the paella from scratch in large pans while your guests watch, and serve it straight from the pan.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
Step by step
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. Planning an evening event in Almodington? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
Ask for a quote
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Organising for someone else?
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre. There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why us?
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Sangria and bar staff available
- We cover Almodington and the whole of West Sussex
Take a look at Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
Towns and villages near Almodington
More for events in Almodington
Catering for every guest
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we time it carefully. If plans change, tell us and we will adjust.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
Events we cater in Almodington
There is no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Almodington book us for events such as:
- Community events and fairs
- Milestone birthday parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Earnley Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Questions to ask before you book
- How each diet is kept separate
- Staff numbers and hours
- What happens if it rains
- Whether VAT is included
Where we can cook in Almodington
No two venues are the same, so we will ask about yours when you contact us. Generally, we look for:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before you book.
Popular choices
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Almodington: venues, travel and local tips
Almodington is about 4 miles north-west of Selsey, in West Sussex. Across the PO20 area, we can bring the pans to you. Almodington is one of 371 places in West Sussex where we cook. Our events stretch from Almodington to Southampton (26 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Chichester station is about 4.2 miles away. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Birdham CE Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Almodington is within about 4 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Wherever your event is in PO20, we can bring paella catering to you. Local streets include Second Avenue, Batchmere Road and Third Avenue; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Somerley (1 mile north-west), Earnley (1 mile south-west), Birdham (1 mile north), Highleigh (1 mile east) and Shipton Green (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Bognor Regis (6 miles east), Chichester (5 miles north-east), Selsey (4 miles south-east), Littlehampton (13 miles east), Emsworth (7 miles north-west) and Rustington (14 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Chichester Castle (4.9 miles north-east) and St Richard's Hospital (5.2 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Pilsey Island.
- 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