West Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Burgess Hill, West Sussex
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Burgess Hill.
- Garden get-togethers
- Retirement celebrations
- Family celebrations and christenings
Book paella catering in Burgess Hill
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, rather than seafood. It is frequently the most popular pan at an event.
Paella catering in Burgess Hill, cooked live
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the smell does the rest. Popular choices include paella Valenciana, black rice and chicken and chorizo paella, and we are regularly asked to cater wedding breakfasts and evening food and retirement and leaving parties.
There are lots of options in a town like Burgess Hill: a garden, a club, a hall or a hired venue. We will check the cooking spot with you before the day. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Area
- Burgess Hill (RH15)
- County
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
What we need at the venue
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Burgess Hill
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
What paella catering costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Travel, parking and access
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Waiting and bar staff
- The number of people
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What to tell us
To speed things up, tell us:
- The address or venue name
- The date and time of the event
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
It is easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
What happens on the day
Here’s how the day usually runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it is served hot from the pan at the agreed time. Planning an evening event in Burgess Hill? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- 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.
Getting ready for the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
Get a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you are ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Diets, allergies and planning
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Sangria and bar staff can be added to serve drinks you provide.
Burgess Hill questions
How far is Burgess Hill from London?
Roughly 37 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
We are having a ceremony at St John the Evangelist's Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan for them.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
What does paella catering cost?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we’ll send a quote.
Is the paella gluten-free?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
How far ahead should we book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Even if it is short notice, it is worth asking.
Is paella enough as a main?
Yes. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course.
Paella catering around Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill is about 9 miles north of Brighton, in West Sussex. Give us the address of your event in Burgess Hill, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. We cover 371 places in West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 9 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Burgess Hill station is in Burgess Hill itself. For a christening or wedding at a church such as St John the Evangelist's Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Burgess Hill is within about 3 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.
Here we cover the RH15 postcode area. That could mean an event in a garden on Church Road, Station Road and Lower Church Road. Being close to the A273 and B2036, Burgess Hill is simple for us to get to with everything for your event. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Jacob's Post (1 mile west), World's End (1 mile north-east), Abbotsford (1 mile north-west), Goddards Green (2 miles west) and Hurst Wickham (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cater in Crawley (11 miles north), Horsham (11 miles north-west), Worthing (15 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (3 miles north-east), East Grinstead (13 miles north-east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (10 miles south-west). Burgess Hill is one of the larger places we cover in West Sussex, with plenty of venues for events.
A little further out are Burgess Hill Museum (less than half a mile south-west) and Clayton Castle (3.4 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve and Wolstonbury Hill.
- Local schools include Oakmeeds Community College (under half a mile south-west) and Burgess Hill Girls (0.5 miles south)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Six Gold Martlets pub (under half a mile south-west)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
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.
Who books paella catering in Burgess Hill?
It suits relaxed, sociable events, with guests mingling as it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Burgess Hill book us for events such as:
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Company summer parties
- Summer garden parties
Historic houses near Burgess Hill include Ockenden Manor (3.4 miles north). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
Before you book anyone
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- How bad weather is handled
- A clear list of what’s included
- If the price includes VAT
For planners, venues and organisers
Organising a club, school or community event in Burgess Hill? 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 picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Towns and villages near Burgess Hill
What else we do in Burgess Hill
- 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