West Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Amberley, West Sussex
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Amberley and across West Sussex.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Garden get-togethers
- Family celebrations and christenings
Planning an event in Amberley?
Paella catering in Amberley, cooked live
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. On the menu are seafood paella, black rice and mixed paella, and we are often booked for company summer parties and engagement and anniversary parties.
In a hamlet or village like Amberley, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
- Area
- Amberley (BN18)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Your questions about paella catering in Amberley
Could we have live paella in Parham Park?
Only if the landowner, usually the council, allows it. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Which station should guests use for Amberley?
Amberley station, about 0.8 miles south-west of the centre.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we will quote for the rest.
Who clears up?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Which areas do you serve?
We cater across London and the South East, including West Sussex. Find your area.
Do you cook inside?
Normally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, since the burners are gas. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Can you cook in the rain?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll talk it through before the day.
Diets, allergies and planning
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we time it carefully. If plans change, tell us and we will adjust.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Nearby places to Amberley
Also in Amberley
How it works
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring. Around midsummer it stays light in Amberley until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Preparing for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
Getting a price
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. To start, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Paella compared with other options
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, so everyone can eat at the same time. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
Why book with us
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- A clear, itemised quote
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Take a look at Our prices page Or What paella catering costs.
Planners, venues and businesses
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
A closer look at the menu
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron.
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Space, weather and the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
Occasions we cook for in Amberley
There is no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
In Amberley and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Company summer parties
For guests coming by train, Amberley station is about 0.8 miles away.
What to look for in a quote
- When payment is due
- Whether travel is included
- Whether VAT is included
- How each diet is kept separate
Planning live paella in Amberley
Amberley is about 7 miles north of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. Events in Amberley are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cater in all 371 towns and villages across West Sussex. Our events stretch from Amberley to Brighton (18 miles away).
Historic houses near Amberley include Parham House (1.9 miles east) and Bignor Roman Villa (2.9 miles west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Amberley CofE Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Amberley is within about a mile of the South Downs National Park, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the BN18 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Whether your event is on School Road, Turnpike Road and Hog Lane or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. Nearby, we also cater events in Cross Gate (1 mile north-east), Bury (1 mile west), Rackham (1 mile east), Watersfield (2 miles north-west) and West Burton (2 miles west). Further out, we also cater in Horsham (14 miles north-east), Worthing (8 miles south-east), Bognor Regis (10 miles south-west), Chichester (12 miles south-west), Littlehampton (7 miles south) and Shoreham-by-Sea (13 miles south-east).
A little further out are Amberley Castle (under half a mile west) and Arundel and District Hospital (3.9 miles south). Open spaces near Amberley include Amberley Wild Brooks and Bignor Hill.
- Nearby schools include Dorset House School (0.9 miles west)
- 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