East Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Doleham, East Sussex
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Doleham and across East Sussex.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Garden get-togethers
- Big birthdays
Live paella catering in Doleham
How our paella catering works in Doleham
The cooking is half the fun. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the smell does the rest. Whether it is leaving dos and retirements and office lunches and staff parties, we can cook chicken and chorizo paella, seafood paella and vegan paella for your guests.
In a rural place like Doleham, 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. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Location
- Doleham (TN35)
- County
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
How the day works
Expect a friendly, organised team. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and cook and serve without fuss. Planning an evening event in Doleham? Sunset is around 8:45pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
How to prepare
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Give us a contact for the day
Ask for a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Related guides
Live paella in Doleham: local details
Doleham is about 4 miles north-east of Hastings, in East Sussex. We bring paella catering to homes, gardens and venues in Doleham and the surrounding area. We cover all 289 towns and villages in East Sussex. We cook right across the region, from Doleham to Canterbury (32 miles away).
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like The Parish Church of St George, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Historic houses near Doleham include Durhamford Manor (3.9 miles north-west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. Doleham is within about 5 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
This part of East Sussex takes in TN35, so your event can be anywhere in it. From Doleham Lane and Doleham Close or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. Close by, we cover events in Three Oaks (1 mile south-east), Broadland Row (2 miles north-east), Broad Street (2 miles east), Broad Oak (2 miles north) and Udimore (3 miles north-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Hastings (4 miles south-west), Bexhill-on-Sea (8 miles south-west), St Leonards (5 miles south-west), Hastings Old Town (4 miles south), Belmont (4 miles south) and Langney (15 miles south-west).
Nearby you’ll also find Conquest Hospital (2.9 miles south-west) and Barn Theatre and Museum (1.8 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Church Wood and Robsack Wood.
Paella compared with other options
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why Doleham hosts choose us
- We cover Doleham and the whole of East Sussex
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Questions from Doleham
Do you come out to small places like Doleham?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Parish Church of St George?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, including East Sussex. See all areas.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
Do you come to Doleham?
We do. We cook at events in Doleham and across East Sussex. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
Do you take everything away?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
What paella catering costs
These are the factors that matter most:
- How many staff you need
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Timings and hours
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Getting an accurate quote
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The date and rough timings
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Anything your venue supplies
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s 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.
Organising for someone else?
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
About the dishes
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Towns and villages near Doleham
More for events in Doleham
Catering for every guest
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Where we can cook in Doleham
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but a few things matter:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegan 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