East Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Brightling
Looking for paella catering in Brightling? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Summer garden parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
Book paella catering in Brightling
How our paella catering works in Brightling
You can keep it simple or build a full menu: paella on its own, or with canapés, table tapas, desserts and sangria. We’ll recommend what fits your event. For wedding breakfasts and evening food and fairs, fêtes and festivals, we can cook paella Valenciana, vegetable paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
Somewhere as small as Brightling, a garden or field is frequently 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. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Where
- Brightling (TN32)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Catering for every guest
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Put allergy details in writing
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
After service, we pack down our cooking area.
Sangria and bar staff can be added to serve drinks you provide.
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together, for guests who want a bit of everything.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Nearby places to Brightling
What else we do in Brightling
Should I cook it myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
What affects the price in Brightling
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Timings and hours
- Travel, parking and access
- How many courses
- Your choice of paellas
The cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What to tell us
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Anything your venue supplies
- Which courses you have in mind
- The address or venue name
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning live paella in Brightling
Brightling is about 9 miles north of Bexhill-on-Sea, in East Sussex. Give us the address of your event in Brightling, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. We cover 289 places in East Sussex. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 25 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Robertsbridge station is about 3.3 miles away. Nearby historic houses include Bateman's (1.9 miles north-west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. Brightling is within about 3 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Here we cover the TN32 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Local streets include The Street and Rectory Hill; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Close by, we cover events in Hollingrove (1 mile east), Twelve Oaks (1 mile south), Oxley's Green (1 mile north-east), Netherfield (3 miles south-east) and Penhurst (3 miles south). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (13 miles south), Hastings (10 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (9 miles south), Hailsham (9 miles south-west), Crowborough (12 miles north-west) and St Leonards (10 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Old Castle (2.3 miles south-west) and Ticehurst House Hospital (5.9 miles north).
How the day works
On the day, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. Around midsummer it stays light in Brightling until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, 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.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- 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.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
How to get a price
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Read more
Paella compared with other options
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why book with us
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Catering across East Sussex, including Brightling
Take a look at Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
Brightling questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Parish Church of St Thomas A Becket?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you cater in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
How much paella per person?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Can paella be the only main course?
Yes. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course, and tapas or dessert can be added.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You provide a suitable spot and access.
When do you arrive?
We get there in good time to set up. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
How much space do you need?
Less than you might think: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a picture.
What does paella catering cost?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
Working with your venue
Organising a club, school or community event in Brightling? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Perfect for your event in Brightling
Live paella is food and a show in one. The pans become a focal point, and the food is hot and generous.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Birthday celebrations
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Retirement celebrations
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like The Parish Church of St Thomas A Becket, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Comparing caterers
- When final numbers are due
- Allergen information for each dish
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Whether VAT is included
- 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