West Sussex · England
Live paella catering in East Grinstead, West Sussex
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in East Grinstead. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Garden get-togethers
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Staff parties and work lunches
Live paella catering in East Grinstead
Catering an event in East Grinstead
East Grinstead is about 8 miles east of Crawley, in West Sussex. We bring paella catering to gardens, halls and venues around East Grinstead and nearby villages. We cook in all 371 towns and villages across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 21 miles away.
For guests coming by train, East Grinstead has its own station, East Grinstead station. Nearby historic houses include Saint Hill Manor (1.7 miles south-west) and Standen (1.7 miles south). 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 3 miles of East Grinstead. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cover events in every part of RH19 and the streets around it. That could mean an event in a garden on Station Road, High Street and London Road. East Grinstead sits on or near the A22 and A264, so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. For events just outside East Grinstead, we cover Dormans Park (1 mile north), Saint Hill Green (2 miles south), Felbridge (2 miles north-west), Ashurst Wood (2 miles south-east) and Felcourt (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (8 miles west), Horsham (14 miles west), Haywards Heath (10 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (13 miles south-west), Broadfield (9 miles west) and Bewbush (9 miles west). Being one of West Sussex’s larger places, East Grinstead has plenty of venues and gardens for events.
Other landmarks nearby include East Grinstead Museum (less than half a mile south-east) and Queen Victoria Hospital (0.8 miles north-east). Open spaces near East Grinstead include Hedgecourt Lake.
- Local schools include Sackville School (0.7 miles south-east) and Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts (1.3 miles north)
- Pubs nearby include The Railway pub (within half a mile south)
Paella catering in East Grinstead, cooked live
You can keep it simple or build a full menu: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We’ll recommend what fits your event. Popular choices include seafood paella, paella Valenciana and black rice, and we are regularly asked to cater leaving dos and retirements and birthday celebrations.
In East Grinstead, gardens come in all sizes, and most can host live paella with a little planning. A gazebo over the cooking spot covers you for rain. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
- Area
- East Grinstead (RH19)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
For event organisers in East Grinstead
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
What paella catering costs
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Whether you need crockery
- How many courses
- The paellas you choose
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Getting an accurate quote
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- Anything your venue supplies
- Diets and allergies you know about
- The address or venue name
- The courses you’d like
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Also near East Grinstead
What else we do in East Grinstead
Events we cater in East Grinstead
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
Whatever you’re celebrating in East Grinstead, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Retirement celebrations
- Summer garden parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Milestone birthday parties
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Our Lady and St Peter's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Comparing caterers
- The wet-weather plan
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Allergen information for each dish
DIY paella versus live catering
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. 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 will do the cooking.
Step by step
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. Planning an evening event in East Grinstead? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Preparing for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Leave space around the cooking area
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. To start, use our quote form.
Planning help
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together.
East Grinstead questions
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 follow the site rules.
We’re having a ceremony at Our Lady and St Peter's Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
What seafood can we have?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
What about pudding?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind when you ask for a quote.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring all the cooking equipment. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
When do you arrive?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Confirm allergies by email
- Tell us how many children are coming
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, and that’s when we invite guests up.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Is live paella right for your event?
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Why East Grinstead hosts choose us
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- 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