East Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Barcombe Cross
Something for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Barcombe Cross.
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Naming days and family parties
Paella catering near Barcombe Cross
Paella catering for your event in Barcombe Cross
Paella is generous food: giant pans, saffron colour and a toasted crust that everyone fights over. It makes the food an event in itself. We are often asked to cater anniversary celebrations and naming days and family parties, serving vegan paella, mixed paella and vegetable paella.
Somewhere as small as Barcombe Cross, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. We plan the timings around your day, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Location
- Barcombe Cross (BN8)
- Area hub
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Barcombe Cross: your questions answered
How far is Barcombe Cross from London?
About 40 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Is Barcombe Cross too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
How much paella per person?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
Which paellas do you recommend?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is normally the most popular, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
What do you need at the venue?
Less than you might think: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a picture if you are not sure.
Where do you cater?
We cater across London and the South East, East Sussex included. See all areas.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria can be added, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Organising for someone else?
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Planning live paella in Barcombe Cross
Barcombe Cross is about 3 miles north of Lewes, in East Sussex. We cook at events in gardens, halls and venues around Barcombe Cross and nearby villages. Barcombe Cross is one of 289 towns and villages in East Sussex where we cook. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 9 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Glyndebourne (3.7 miles south-east) and Anne of Cleves House (3.8 miles south). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Barcombe Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Barcombe Cross is within about 4 miles 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.
Paella catering in BN8 is planned around your venue and your guests. Whether your event is on High Street, Grange Road and Weald Close or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. If your venue is just outside Barcombe Cross, we also cover Barcombe (1 mile south), Mount Pleasant (1 mile north-east), Barcombe Mills (1 mile south-east), Upper Wellingham (2 miles south-east) and Cooksbridge (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cater in Eastbourne (15 miles south-east), Seaford (11 miles south), Lewes (3 miles south), Hailsham (11 miles east), Crowborough (11 miles north-east) and Uckfield (5 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Museum of Agricultural Bygones (3.7 miles south-east) and Lewes Victoria Hospital (3.6 miles south). The countryside around Barcombe Cross includes Malling Down and Offham Hill.
- Local schools include Chailey School (2.3 miles north-west)
- Pubs nearby include Royal Oak pub (within half a mile south-east)
Places near Barcombe Cross
Also in Barcombe Cross
Where we can cook in Barcombe Cross
We will be honest if a space will not work. What matters most:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think.
On the menu in Barcombe Cross
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, rather than seafood. It’s often the most popular pan at an event.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Step by step
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and get on with cooking and serving. In Barcombe Cross, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Before we arrive
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Let us know the timings for the day
Getting a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
What affects the price in Barcombe Cross
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Parking and unloading
- Timings and hours
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Waiting and bar staff
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.
Getting an accurate quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Which courses you have in mind
- A photo of the space, if you can
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you are ready: use our quote form.
Events we cater in Barcombe Cross
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food is hot and generous.
In Barcombe Cross and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Community events and fairs
- Naming days and family parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement celebrations
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St Francis of Assisi, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
What to look for in a quote
- Allergen information for each dish
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- The wet-weather plan
- The deposit and payment dates
Planning for every diet
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Mention any other courses or food
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Tapas or canapés make a good start while the paella cooks.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
- 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