West Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Crabtree
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Crabtree and the surrounding area.
- Company summer parties
- Anniversary celebrations
- Retirement and leaving parties
Paella catering near Crabtree
Catering for every guest
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Put allergy details in writing
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
Paella catering for your event in Crabtree
Paella is generous food: giant pans, saffron colour and a toasted crust that everyone fights over. It turns a meal into an occasion. We’re frequently asked to cater garden parties and summer barbecues and milestone birthday parties, with paella Valenciana, vegetable paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
Somewhere as small as Crabtree, a garden or field is often the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras.
- Where
- Crabtree (RH13)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Common questions in Crabtree
Could we have live paella in Leonardslee?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
What’s the nearest station to Crabtree for guests?
Horsham station, about 4.6 miles north-west of the centre.
When should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Is the paella cooked on site?
It is. We arrive with everything we need and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
What do you need at the venue?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and it’s cooked separately.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Places near Crabtree
Also in Crabtree
About the dishes
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a paella that stands on its own. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Organising for someone else?
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Live paella or other catering?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
What you get with us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Fast service from the pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Read How we price Or The cost guide.
Paella catering around Crabtree
Crabtree is about 5 miles south-east of Horsham, in West Sussex. Give us the address of your event in Crabtree, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. We cater in all 371 towns and villages in West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Crabtree to Brighton (14 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Horsham station is about 4.6 miles away. Nearby historic houses include Tyes Place (4.3 miles north-east) and Ockenden Manor (4.9 miles east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Here we cover the RH13 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Whether your event is on Mill Lane, Peppersgate and Long Hill or a nearby road, we can cook there. For events just outside Crabtree, we cover Lower Beeding (1 mile north), Colwood (1 mile south-east), Monk's Gate (2 miles north-west), Plummers Plain (2 miles north-east) and Mannings Heath (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cater in Crawley (7 miles north-east), Horsham (5 miles north-west), Worthing (14 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (7 miles east), Burgess Hill (7 miles south-east) and East Grinstead (13 miles north-east).
A little further out are Horsham Hospital (4.9 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Knepp Wildland.
Prices and what affects them
There’s nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Travel, parking and access
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Timings and hours
- Whether you need crockery
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Details that help
These details help us quote quickly:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- The date and rough timings
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Popular choices
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
How it works
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Around midsummer it stays light in Crabtree until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- 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.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Getting a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
Planning help
- 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