Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Coldharbour, Surrey
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Coldharbour and Surrey, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Family celebrations and christenings
Paella catering near Coldharbour
About our paella catering in Coldharbour
One cooking area feeds a lot of people, very little goes to waste, and the food arrives hot. That is why it works for so many events. Typical bookings include christenings and family gatherings and wedding breakfasts and evening food, with seafood paella, mixed paella and vegan paella.
In a rural place like Coldharbour, the setting does a lot of the work: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Space, weather and the venue
No two venues are the same, so we will ask about yours before we confirm. In general, we need:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think.
Popular choices
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
How it works
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. In Coldharbour, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
Getting a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Related guides
About the dishes
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Coldharbour: venues, travel and local tips
Coldharbour is about 4 miles south of Dorking, in Surrey. Give us the address of your event in Coldharbour, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up before the day. We cover all 395 towns and villages in Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Guildford, about 10 miles away.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Wotton and Abinger Commons? Public parks generally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Christ Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about a mile of Coldharbour. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Anywhere in RH5, we can bring paella catering to you. We also cook at events in Abinger Bottom (2 miles north-west), South Holmwood (2 miles north-east), Holmwood Corner (2 miles east), Friday Street (2 miles north-west) and Beare Green (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Guildford (10 miles north-west), Woking (13 miles north-west), Epsom (11 miles north), Horley (8 miles east), Redhill (9 miles north-east) and Ewell (13 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Mesolithic Museum (2.6 miles north-west) and Abinger Castle (2.6 miles north-west). Open spaces near Coldharbour include Vann Lake and Leith Hill.
- Local pubs include Plough Inn (under half a mile north-east)
Occasions we cook for in Coldharbour
It suits relaxed, sociable events, with guests mingling as it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Summer garden parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
For guests coming by train, Holmwood station is about 1.6 miles away.
Comparing caterers
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- If the price includes VAT
- How long the team stays
- How bad weather is handled
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Give us separate numbers for children
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
Coldharbour questions
Can you cook in Wotton and Abinger Commons?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
Is Coldharbour too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll make a plan B with you.
How do you work out quantities?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Nearby places to Coldharbour
Other catering in Coldharbour
For event organisers in Coldharbour
Events in public spaces, like parks, typically need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Coldharbour? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
Prices and what affects them
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How long we’re needed on site
- Waiting and bar staff
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
What to tell us
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- Where the event is
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Anything your venue supplies
- The date and rough timings
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, use our quote form.
- 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