Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Dorking, Surrey
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Dorking. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Milestone birthday parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Book paella catering in Dorking
Paella catering in Dorking, cooked live
Keep it simple, or go all out: paella on its own, or with canapés, table tapas, desserts and sangria. We’ll recommend what fits your event. Popular choices include chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and black rice, and we are regularly asked to cater retirement celebrations and weddings and evening receptions.
Gardens in Dorking range from small patios to big lawns, and most can host live paella with a little planning. A gazebo over the cooking spot covers you for rain. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose, with no surprises on the day.
Paella compared with other options
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. 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 Dorking hosts choose us
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Read Our pricing And The cost guide.
What affects the price in Dorking
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- Distance and access to the venue
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many courses
- Waiting and bar staff
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What we need to know
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- What the venue already provides
- Roughly how many adults and children
Planning paella catering in Dorking? Send us the details and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, send us your details through our quote form.
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is typically served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Where we can cook in Dorking
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
For planners, venues and organisers
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
Hosting a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Paella catering around Dorking
Dorking is about 10 miles north-west of Crawley, in Surrey. Anywhere in RH4, we will come to your venue or garden. Dorking is one of 395 towns and villages in Surrey where we cook. Our nearest city page is Guildford, about 11 miles away.
Historic houses near Dorking include Polesden Lacey (2.7 miles north-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. For guests coming by train, Dorking Deepdene station is about 0.6 miles away. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 2 miles of Dorking, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Anywhere in RH4 and RH5, we can cook for your guests. That could mean an event in a garden on High Street, Station Road and London Road. Dorking is on the A24 and A25, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Pixham (1 mile north-east), North Holmwood (1 mile south), Westhumble (2 miles north), Westcott (2 miles west) and Blackbrook (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (11 miles west), Woking (12 miles north-west), Epsom (8 miles north), Horley (8 miles south-east), Redhill (7 miles east) and Ewell (9 miles north).
Nearby you’ll also find Mesolithic Museum (3.9 miles south-west) and Headley Court (4.8 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Reigate Heath and Box Hill.
- Nearby schools include The Ashcombe School (0.6 miles north) and The Ashcombe School (0.6 miles north)
- Nearby, you will find The Wheatsheaf Public House (within half a mile north-west)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include Pippbrook House (0.5 miles north)
Towns and villages near Dorking
What else we do in Dorking
How the day works
Service is quick: we serve straight from the pan, so large groups are fed quickly. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. Evenings in Dorking stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Give us a contact for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Getting a price
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: use our quote form.
Related guides
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
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.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
FAQs for Dorking
How far is Dorking from London?
About 21 miles from central London.
Could we have live paella in Deepdene Terrace?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Which paellas do you recommend?
Two or three is usual: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. Our menu lists the options.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Does paella work for big events?
Yes. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Mention any other courses or food
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
- 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