West Sussex · England
Paella Catering for Clayton events
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Clayton and across West Sussex.
- Company summer parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Milestone birthday parties
Paella catering near Clayton
About the dishes
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, finished with lemon wedges. It is generally the most photographed pan.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Paella catering in Clayton, made fresh on the day
Watching it cook is part of the experience. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the aroma does the rest. For engagement and anniversary parties and company summer parties, we’ll put together a menu of mixed paella, chicken and chorizo paella and vegan paella and more.
Somewhere as small as Clayton, a garden or field is often the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
- Area
- Clayton (BN6)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Space, weather and the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Level ground for the pans and burners
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
On the menu in Clayton
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
Catering for every guest
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Count adults and children separately
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Confirm allergies by email
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Why choose live paella in Clayton?
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and it’s entertaining too. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before booking.
What you get with us
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Catering across West Sussex, including Clayton
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
The process
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 as the rice is cooking. In Clayton, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally 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.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
How to prepare
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Give us a contact for the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
Ask for a quote
Send us the date, your venue or BN6 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, use our quote form.
Planning help
Clayton: venues, travel and local tips
Clayton is about 3 miles south of Burgess Hill, in West Sussex. We cook at events in gardens, halls and venues around Clayton. We cover 371 places across West Sussex.
Nearby historic houses include Preston Manor & Gardens (4.7 miles south). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. For a christening or wedding at a church such as St John the Baptist's Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. The South Downs National Park is within about 2 miles of Clayton. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Anywhere in BN6, we can bring paella catering to you. Streets in the area include Spring Lane, Underhill Lane and Brighton Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Keymer (1 mile north-east), Hassocks (1 mile north), Ditchling (2 miles north-east), Westmeston (2 miles east) and Hurst Wickham (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Crawley (14 miles north), Horsham (13 miles north-west), Worthing (13 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (6 miles north), Burgess Hill (3 miles north) and Shoreham-by-Sea (7 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Clayton Castle (within half a mile south-west) and The Budding Foundation Museum of Gardening (0.9 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Wolstonbury Hill and Ladies Mile.
- Local schools include Downlands Community School (0.8 miles north)
- Pubs nearby include The Greyhound Public House (1 mile north-east)
Questions from Clayton
Can you cater a reception after a service at St John the Baptist's Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you come out to small places like Clayton?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three is usual: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We’ll help you decide the split.
Can you cater for children?
Of course. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Tell us how many are coming.
How does live paella catering work?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
Why choose paella catering in Clayton?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Clayton:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Summer garden parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as The Windmills Junior School, can book us as a food stall.
Questions to ask before booking
- How late numbers can change
- Staff numbers and hours
- The venue requirements
- The wet-weather plan
Places near Clayton
More for events in Clayton
DIY paella versus live catering
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
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.
What paella catering costs
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- How long we are needed on site
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.
Getting an accurate quote
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The date and time of the event
- The venue or postcode
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
- 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