West Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Fishbourne, West Sussex
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Fishbourne. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Office lunches and staff parties
Book paella catering in Fishbourne
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
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’ll do the cooking.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Paella catering in Fishbourne, made fresh on the day
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field in and around Fishbourne. We’re frequently asked to cater birthday celebrations and family celebrations and christenings, serving vegetable paella, mixed paella and black rice.
A place like Fishbourne frequently has a hall, a club or a pub garden nearby; any can work for paella, with permission and somewhere outside to cook. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
- Where
- Fishbourne (PO19, PO18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Is live paella right for your event?
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Why Fishbourne hosts choose us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- We cover Fishbourne and the whole of West Sussex
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Read How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
What paella catering costs
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Guest numbers
- Your choice of paellas
- Distance and access to the venue
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Getting an accurate quote
To speed things up, tell us:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Anything your venue supplies
- The address or venue name
- The date and rough timings
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Occasions we cook for in Fishbourne
People book live paella because it’s food and entertainment at once. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Fishbourne book us for events such as:
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Fishbourne CofE Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- The venue requirements
- Whether VAT is included
- Allergen information for each dish
- What happens if it rains
Catering for every guest
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Have seats for most of your guests
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we serve when guests are ready.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
Planning the cooking area
No two venues are the same, so we’ll ask about yours before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Level ground for the pans and burners
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Fishbourne: venues, travel and local tips
Fishbourne is about 1 mile west of Chichester, in West Sussex. Tell us where your event in Fishbourne will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up. We cater in 371 places in West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 26 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Fishbourne has its own station, Fishbourne station. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Peter and St Mary, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Wherever your event is in PO19 and PO18, we can cook for your guests. From Creek End, Palatine Gardens and Claver Gardens or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. If your venue is just outside Fishbourne, we also cover Apuldram (1 mile south), Broadbridge (2 miles west), Bosham (2 miles west), East Ashling (2 miles north-west) and Bosham Hoe (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cater in Bognor Regis (6 miles south-east), Selsey (7 miles south), Littlehampton (12 miles east), Emsworth (6 miles west), Rustington (13 miles east) and Angmering (15 miles east).
Nearby you will also find Chichester Castle (1.6 miles east) and St Richard's Hospital (1.9 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Stoke Down and Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve.
- Nearby schools include Bishop Luffa School (0.7 miles east) and Central C of E Junior School (1.3 miles east)
Nearby places to Fishbourne
More for events in Fishbourne
Common questions in Fishbourne
Is Fishbourne close to London?
About 55 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Peter and St Mary: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
How do you work out quantities?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a little extra built in. Accurate numbers help.
Do you do vegan paella?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Are premium seafood options available?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu, including premium options if you want them.
What space do you need to cook?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. Send us a picture if you’re not sure.
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, rather than seafood. It is a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
How it works
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it’s served hot from the pan when you’re ready to eat. In Fishbourne, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Before we arrive
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
How to get a price
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: use our quote form.
Planning help
- 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