Greater London · England
Paella Catering in Elm Park
Something for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Elm Park.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Big birthdays
- Company summer parties
Book paella catering in Elm Park
What happens on the day
A typical event goes like this: we arrive, set up and start cooking, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and we serve straight from the pan when you are ready to eat. Around midsummer it stays light in Elm Park until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are usually served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Tell us when you want to eat
How to get a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, use our quote form.
Related guides
About our paella catering in Elm Park
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, very little goes to waste, and the food is served hot. That is why it works for so many events. On the menu are chicken and chorizo paella, seafood paella and vegetable paella, and typical bookings are for retirement celebrations and fairs, fêtes and festivals.
Around Elm Park, most London events we are asked about are in gardens, courtyards and hired venues. The thing to plan is parking and unloading, so tell us about permits, bays or a driveway when you ask for a quote. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
- Where
- Elm Park (RM12, RM13)
- Region
- Greater London
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Catering an event in Elm Park
Elm Park is about 2 miles south of Romford, in Greater London. Anywhere in RM12, we can bring the pans to you. Elm Park is one of 764 towns and villages in Greater London where we cook. Our nearest city page is London, about 13 miles away.
Parks such as Harrow Lodge Park generally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St Nicholas Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Wherever your event is in RM12 and RM13, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. From Park Lane, Wood Lane and Carfax Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. We also cook at events in South Hornchurch (1 mile south-west), Rush Green (2 miles north-west), Dagenham (2 miles west), Romford (2 miles north) and Rainham (2 miles south). We also cook in nearby towns such as London (13 miles west), City of Westminster (15 miles west), Marylebone (15 miles west), St Pancras (14 miles west), Shoreditch (12 miles west) and Walthamstow (10 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include St George's Hospital (0.9 miles east) and Hornchurch Urban District (1.5 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include The Chase Nature Reserve.
- Local schools include Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College (0.5 miles north-east)
Why choose paella catering in Elm Park?
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Milestone birthday parties
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Elm Park Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What your quote should include
- How late numbers can change
- Who provides the crockery
- VAT, if it applies
- Any travel, parking or access charges
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Organising for someone else?
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Live paella or other catering?
With a barbecue, food comes 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 us?
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Take a look at Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Dietary needs and planning tips
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Put allergy details in writing
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we serve when guests are ready.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue doesn’t provide them.
Your questions about paella catering in Elm Park
What’s the nearest station to Elm Park for guests?
The closest is Emerson Park station, roughly 1.7 miles away.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Nicholas Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is the paella cooked on site?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
How much paella per person?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Can you supply plates?
If you need them, yes. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables can be added to your booking.
Can you cook in the rain?
We cook under cover, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
What paella catering costs
There’s nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- How many courses
- The length of service
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- The number of people
Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We’ll send you a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
These details help us quote quickly:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The date and rough timings
- The venue or postcode
- The courses you’d like
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s usually the most photographed pan.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
Nearby places to Elm Park
Also in Elm Park
- 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