West Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Dormans Park
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Dormans Park and the surrounding area.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Birthday celebrations
Paella catering for Dormans Park events
Paella catering for your event in Dormans Park
There’s something generous about paella: huge pans, saffron colour and a toasted crust that everyone fights over. It makes the food an event in itself. We cook mixed paella, black rice and seafood paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater retirement and leaving parties and weddings and evening receptions.
Somewhere as small as Dormans Park, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will 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.
- Area
- Dormans Park (RH19)
- County
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Dietary needs and planning tips
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Count adults and children separately
- Put allergy details in writing
- Request clear labels at the serving table
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
Paella compared with other options
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why Dormans Park hosts choose us
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Catering across West Sussex, including Dormans Park
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Fast service from the pan
See How we price Or The cost guide.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
What’s in the pans
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, rather than seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
Occasions we cook for in Dormans Park
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Dormans Park, people book us for occasions like:
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Garden get-togethers
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Birthday celebrations
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St John the Evangelist, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Questions to ask before booking
- How long the team stays
- The deposit and payment dates
- The venue requirements
- Who provides the crockery
For event organisers in Dormans Park
Throwing a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Paella catering around Dormans Park
Dormans Park is about 1 mile north of East Grinstead, in West Sussex. For paella catering in Dormans Park, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Dormans Park. Dormans Park is one of 371 towns and villages in West Sussex where we cook. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 22 miles away.
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Dormans station, about 0.5 miles north. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Dormans Park, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cater events across the RH19 postcode area and the streets around it. From East Hill, Furzefield Chase and Hill Crest or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. For events just outside Dormans Park, we cover Felcourt (1 mile north-west), Dormansland (1 mile north-east), East Grinstead (1 mile south), Lingfield (2 miles north) and Felbridge (2 miles west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Crawley (8 miles west), Horsham (15 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (11 miles south), Burgess Hill (14 miles south), Broadfield (9 miles south-west) and Bewbush (10 miles west).
Nearby you will also find Queen Victoria Hospital (1 mile south-east) and East Grinstead Museum (1.7 miles south). Not far away are Hedgecourt Lake.
- Nearby schools include Baldwins Hill Primary School (1 mile south-west) and Imberhorne School (1.5 miles south-west)
Before you choose a spot
We’ll be honest if a space won’t work, and suggest an alternative. The main points are:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
The process
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring. Around midsummer it stays light in Dormans Park until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
How to prepare
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Ask for a quote
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Planning help
Places near Dormans Park
Other catering in Dormans Park
Dormans Park: your questions answered
Do you cater in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Which station should guests use for Dormans Park?
Dormans station, about 0.5 miles north of the centre.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
How long do you need on site?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We will agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you so the paella is ready when you want it.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Which areas do you serve?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
What is live paella catering?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve when you are ready to eat.
Will there be enough food?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
- 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