Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Ashford, Surrey
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Ashford: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Big birthdays
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Leaving dos and retirements
Paella catering in Ashford
Prices and what affects them
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Guest numbers
- Waiting and bar staff
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
What we need to know
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The venue or postcode
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Ashford? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. To get in touch, send us your details through our quote form.
Paella catering in Ashford, cooked live
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That is exactly what we bring to your event in Ashford. Whether it’s company summer parties and christenings and family gatherings, we will put together a menu of mixed paella, vegan paella and seafood paella for your guests.
Most events in a town like Ashford are in gardens, halls with outdoor space or hired venues. All of them work, provided we can park nearby and cook on level ground. We serve straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and service is quick once it’s ready.
Diets, allergies and planning
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Confirm allergies by email
A short rest after cooking helps, and that’s when we invite guests up.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
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. Around midsummer it stays light in Ashford until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Ask for a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Occasions we cook for in Ashford
There’s no kitchen needed, so it is at home in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Ashford and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Big birthdays
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Staff parties and work lunches
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Spelthorne College, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What your quote should include
- How each diet is kept separate
- When final numbers are due
- Space, access and power needs
- Exactly what’s included in the price
What’s in the pans
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It is often the most popular pan at an event.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Paella catering around Ashford
Ashford is about 6 miles south of Hayes, in Surrey. For paella catering in Ashford, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Ashford is one of 395 places in Surrey where we cook. Our events stretch from Ashford to Guildford (14 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Ashford Surrey station is in Ashford itself. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Parish Church of St Matthew, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Here we cover the TW15, TW19 and TW13 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Whether your event is on Church Road, Station Road and London Road or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. Ashford is on the A30 and A308, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. We also cook at events in Littleton Common (1 mile south-east), Ashford Common (1 mile south-east), West Bedfont (1 mile north), Stanwell (2 miles north) and Hounslow (2 miles east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Guildford (14 miles south), Woking (9 miles south-west), Camberley (13 miles south-west), Epsom (11 miles south-east), Ewell (11 miles south-east) and Egham (4 miles west).
Nearby you’ll also find Ashford Hospital (0.7 miles north) and Spelthorne Museum (2.2 miles west). The countryside around Ashford includes Staines Reservoirs and Kempton Park Reservoirs.
- Local schools include Clarendon Primary School (within half a mile north) and Thomas Knyvett College (0.6 miles north-west)
Where we can cook in Ashford
We’ll be honest if a space will not work, and suggest an alternative. The main points are:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Ashford
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
Questions from Ashford
Which station should guests use for Ashford?
Ashford has its own station: Ashford Surrey station.
Is Ashford close to London?
About 17 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Can we choose the seafood?
Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Which paellas suit our guests?
Most events choose two or three: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Our menu lists the options.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Why choose live paella in Ashford?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked live and served hot. 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
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Take a look at Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
What else we do in Ashford
DIY paella versus live catering
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
- 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