West Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Danehill
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Danehill.
- Community events and fairs
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Engagement and anniversary parties
Book paella catering in Danehill
How our paella catering works in Danehill
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, very little goes to waste, and the food arrives hot. That is why it works for so many events. On the menu are paella Valenciana, seafood paella and black rice, and we’re regularly asked to cater birthday celebrations and anniversaries and engagement parties.
In a small place like Danehill, events are normally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
- Location
- Danehill (RH17)
- County
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it is often the first pan to empty.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Space, weather and the venue
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
Towns and villages near Danehill
Also in Danehill
The process
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan when you’re ready to eat. Evenings in Danehill stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- 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.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Ask for a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Planners, venues and businesses
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Should I cook it myself?
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. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
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.
Live paella or other catering?
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, so everyone can eat at the same time. 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.
Why book with us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Drinks service on request
How we price paella catering
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Parking and unloading
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The paellas you choose
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Getting an accurate quote
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- The date and rough timings
- The venue or postcode
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we will suggest a menu. To start, use our quote form.
Questions from Danehill
What’s the nearest station to Danehill for guests?
The closest is Haywards Heath station, roughly 5 miles away.
Can you cook at venues in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
What happens if it rains?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll make a plan B with you.
Should we have more than one paella?
Typically two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
Which areas do you serve?
We cover London and the South East, West Sussex included. See all areas.
Which paella is most popular?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is typically the most popular, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a photo.
Danehill: venues, travel and local tips
Danehill is about 5 miles north-east of Haywards Heath, in West Sussex. For an event in Danehill, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Danehill. We cover all 371 towns and villages across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 15 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Haywards Heath station is about 5 miles away. Nearby historic houses include Priest House (4 miles north-west) and Gravetye Manor (4.8 miles north-west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. Danehill is within about 5 miles of the High Weald National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Anywhere in RH17, we can cook for your guests. We can cater an event on streets such as London Road, Lewes Road and Oaktree Cottages. For events just outside Danehill, we cover Chelwood Common (1 mile north-east), Furner's Green (1 mile south), Horsted Keynes (1 mile west), Birchgrove (1 mile north) and Chelwood Gate (2 miles north-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Crawley (10 miles north-west), Horsham (14 miles west), Haywards Heath (5 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (8 miles south-west), East Grinstead (7 miles north) and Broadfield (10 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Waterbury Castle (1.7 miles west) and Princess Royal Hospital (4.8 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Brickfield Meadow.
Who books paella catering in Danehill?
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Danehill book us for occasions like:
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Birthday celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Danehill Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What your quote should include
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- A clear list of what’s included
- How late numbers can change
- The deposit and payment dates
- 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