East Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Broad Oak, East Sussex
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Broad Oak.
- Naming days and family parties
- Company summer parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Paella catering for Broad Oak events
Paella catering in Broad Oak, made fresh on the day
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields. Whether it is retirement and leaving parties and naming days and family parties, we can cook chicken and chorizo paella, seafood paella and vegan paella for your guests.
Somewhere like Broad Oak, a field or garden is often the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Location
- Broad Oak (TN21)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Working with your venue
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, so everyone can eat at the same time. The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why book with us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- We cover Broad Oak and the whole of East Sussex
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Drinks service on request
Take a look at How we price And What paella catering costs.
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we time it carefully. If timings shift, we adapt.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Who books paella catering in Broad Oak?
There is no kitchen needed, so it is at home in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Birthday celebrations
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Retirement celebrations
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Stonegate station, about 4.5 miles north-east.
What to look for in a quote
- The venue requirements
- How long the team stays
- The deposit and payment dates
- The wet-weather plan
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together, and a popular all-rounder.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a paella that stands on its own. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
How it works
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. Around midsummer it stays light in Broad Oak until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
How to prepare
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
Get 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, use our quote form.
Related guides
Nearby places to Broad Oak
What else we do in Broad Oak
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Broad Oak: venues, travel and local tips
Broad Oak is about 7 miles south-east of Crowborough, in East Sussex. Tell us where your event in Broad Oak will be, and we’ll plan access and set-up before the day. Broad Oak is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Broad Oak to Brighton (about 21 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Bateman's (4.2 miles east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Broad Oak Community Primary School, can book us as a food stall. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 4 miles of Broad Oak, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Wherever your event is in TN21, we can bring paella catering to you. Streets in the area include Halley Road, Burwash Road and Highview Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. For events just outside Broad Oak, we cover Cade Street (1 mile south-west), Old Heathfield (1 mile south), Heathfield (2 miles south-west), Sandy Cross (2 miles south-west) and Maynard's Green (3 miles south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Eastbourne (13 miles south), Hastings (14 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (12 miles south-east), Lewes (14 miles south-west), Hailsham (8 miles south) and Crowborough (7 miles north-west).
A little further out are Old Castle (3.7 miles south-east) and Sussex Farm Museum (3.6 miles south-west). Open spaces near Broad Oak include Selwyns Wood.
- Nearby schools include Heathfield Community College (0.8 miles south)
Planning the cooking area
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
Popular choices
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
Common questions in Broad Oak
Can you cook at venues in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Which station should guests use for Broad Oak?
The closest is Stonegate station, roughly 4.5 miles away.
How do you work out quantities?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We will agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you so the paella is ready when you want it.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Can we choose the seafood?
We’ll talk through seafood options when we plan your menu.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a picture.
When should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so contact us early.
- 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