East Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Dallington
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Dallington. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Company summer parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
Live paella catering in Dallington
Paella catering in Dallington, cooked live
Keep it simple, or go all out: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We will suggest what suits your event. We’re often asked to cater community events and fairs and christenings and family gatherings, serving vegan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and vegetable paella.
In a hamlet or village like Dallington, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Where
- Dallington (TN21)
- County
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Why choose paella catering in Dallington?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
In Dallington and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Naming days and family parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Garden get-togethers
For a christening or wedding at a church such as The Parish Church of St Giles, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
What to look for in a quote
- Who provides the crockery
- If the price includes VAT
- What happens if it rains
- When final numbers are due
Organising for someone else?
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Also near Dallington
More for events in Dallington
Catering for every guest
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Mention any other courses or food
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
Paella is best eaten as soon as it is ready, so we serve when guests are ready.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
What’s in the pans
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is generally served with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Common questions in Dallington
We are having a ceremony at The Parish Church of St Giles: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is Dallington close to London?
About 43 miles from central London.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Does paella work for big events?
Very much so. We size pans and serving points to your guest list.
What equipment do you bring?
Pans, burners and ingredients all come with us. You just need a suitable spot and access.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Tell us what else is being served. See how much paella per person.
Is the paella cooked on site?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
Planning live paella in Dallington
Dallington is about 7 miles north-east of Hailsham, in East Sussex. For paella catering in Dallington, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Dallington. We cook in all 289 towns and villages in East Sussex. Our events stretch from Dallington to Brighton (about 23 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Dallington Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Nearby historic houses include Bateman's (3.1 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 4 miles of Dallington, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cook at events all over TN21. For events just outside Dallington, we cover Wood's Corner (1 mile east), Rushlake Green (2 miles west), Punnett's Town (2 miles north-west), Brownbread Street (3 miles south-east) and Burwash Common (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (12 miles south), Hastings (10 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (8 miles south-east), Hailsham (7 miles south-west), Crowborough (11 miles north-west) and St Leonards (11 miles south-east).
A little further out are Old Castle (under half a mile west) and Hellingly Hospital (5.6 miles south-west).
Live paella or other catering?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, thanks to separate pans. It’s served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Larger events usually cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why book with us
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Real theatre, not just catering
- A clear, itemised quote
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
See Our pricing And The cost guide.
The process
Service is quick: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. When service is finished, we pack down. Evenings in Dallington stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:00pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
How to get a price
To get a price, use our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Related guides
What we need at the venue
We will be honest if a space will not work, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- 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