Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Claygate, Surrey
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 for events in Claygate.
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Staff parties and work lunches
Book paella catering in Claygate
Paella catering in Claygate, made fresh on the day
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. When it is ready, it’s served straight from the pan. On the menu are black rice, seafood paella and vegan paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater weddings and evening receptions and birthday celebrations.
There may be a hall or club near Claygate if your garden is small; live paella can work at any of them, given permission and outdoor space. We serve straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and service is quick once it’s ready.
What affects the price in Claygate
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Timings and hours
- Your choice of paellas
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Travel, parking and access
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Getting an accurate quote
These details help us quote quickly:
- The date and rough timings
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Anything your venue supplies
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Should I cook it myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Nearby places to Claygate
Other catering in Claygate
Catering for every guest
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Mention any other courses or food
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we time it carefully. If plans change, tell us and we’ll adjust.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue doesn’t provide them.
Is live paella right for your event?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
What you get with us
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Sangria and bar staff available
See Our prices page Or The cost guide.
Space, weather and the venue
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
On the menu in Claygate
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
Claygate: your questions answered
We’re having a ceremony at Church of Holy Trinity: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook in Claygate Common?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Is paella enough as a main?
It can be. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main, and tapas or dessert can be added.
Can you feed a lot of people?
It is ideal. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
Which paella is most popular?
Two or three is usual: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. See the sample menu.
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 photo if you’re not sure.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
For planners, venues and organisers
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
What happens on the day
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Your guests are welcome to watch while it cooks. Around midsummer it stays light in Claygate until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Before we arrive
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Get a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, for guests who want a bit of everything.
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Catering an event in Claygate
Claygate is about 3 miles south-west of Surbiton, in Surrey. Give us the address of your event in Claygate, and we will plan access and set-up. Claygate is one of 395 places in Surrey we cover. Our events stretch from Claygate to Guildford (13 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Claygate station is in Claygate itself. Historic houses near Claygate include The Homewood (2.3 miles west) and Hampton Court Palace (3 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Claygate. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Here we cover the KT10 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. From Church Road, High Street and Station Road or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. For events just outside Claygate, we cover Barwell (1 mile south-east), Hinchley Wood (1 mile north), Esher (1 mile north-west), Hook (1 mile east) and Malden Rushett (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (13 miles south-west), Woking (11 miles west), Epsom (3 miles south-east), Horley (15 miles south-east), Redhill (11 miles south-east) and Ewell (4 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Municipal Borough of Surbiton (2.1 miles north-east) and The Ashley Centre (3.6 miles south-east). Open spaces near Claygate include The Lake and Jubilee Wood.
- Local schools include Chessington Community College (1.3 miles east) and Milbourne Lodge School (1.3 miles west)
- 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