Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Chelsham, Surrey
Love Paella cooks live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Chelsham and Surrey, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Community events and fairs
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Family celebrations and christenings
Book paella catering in Chelsham
About our paella catering in Chelsham
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Each is cooked separately. Typical bookings include office lunches and staff parties and retirement and leaving parties, with mixed paella, black rice and paella Valenciana.
In a rural place like Chelsham, the setting does plenty of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Working with your venue
Hosting a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Paella catering around Chelsham
Chelsham is about 3 miles north-east of Caterham, in Surrey. For paella catering in Chelsham, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Chelsham. Chelsham is one of 395 places in Surrey we cover. Our events stretch from Chelsham to London (13 miles away).
Historic houses near Chelsham include Addington Palace (3 miles north) and Titsey Place (3.3 miles south-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Ledgers Wood? Public parks generally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
Paella catering in CR6 is planned around your venue and timings. We can cater an event on streets such as Chelsham Common and Chelsham Road. We also cook at events in Farleigh (1 mile north), Warlingham (1 mile west), Hamsey Green (1 mile west), Fickleshole (1 mile north-east) and New Addington (2 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Epsom (10 miles west), Horley (11 miles south-west), Redhill (8 miles south-west), Ewell (10 miles west), Reigate (9 miles south-west) and Caterham (3 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Warlingham Park Hospital (less than half a mile north) and East Surrey Museum (3 miles south-west). Not far away are Hutchinson's Bank and Nore Hill.
- Nearby schools include Warlingham School (1.6 miles west)
- Nearby, you will find Hare & Hounds pub (0.7 miles south-west)
Chelsham: your questions answered
We’re having a ceremony at Church of St Mary the Virgin: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Is Chelsham too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Which paella is most popular?
Two or three is usual: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
When should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
What about pudding?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
Do you come to Chelsham?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including Chelsham. To check your date, fill in our quote form.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Towns and villages near Chelsham
Also in Chelsham
Occasions we cook for in Chelsham
People book live paella because it is food and entertainment at once. The pans become a focal point, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Community events and fairs
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Birthday celebrations
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Woldingham station, about 1.9 miles south-west.
Before you book anyone
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- If the price includes VAT
- How each diet is kept separate
- When payment is due
Step by step
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you’re free to enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first while the paella cooks. Planning an evening event in Chelsham? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Get a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Read more
Where we can cook in Chelsham
If a space isn’t suitable, we’ll tell you. The main points are:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Popular choices
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Why Chelsham hosts choose us
- Events in Chelsham and across Surrey
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Drinks service on request
- A clear, itemised quote
See Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
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 Chelsham
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Guest numbers
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Timings and hours
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
What to tell us
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- Expected numbers
- The date and rough timings
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The address or venue name
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Diets, allergies and planning
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Let us know about other food at the event
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If timings shift, we adapt.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
- 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