Surrey · England
Paella Catering for Forest Green events
Love Paella cooks live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Forest Green and Surrey, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Big birthdays
- Garden get-togethers
- Retirement celebrations
Planning an event in Forest Green?
Paella catering for your event in Forest Green
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That is exactly what we bring to your event in Forest Green. We are often asked to cater community events and fairs and leaving dos and retirements, serving chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and mixed paella.
In a hamlet or village like Forest Green, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. You’ll know exactly what’s included before booking: the menu, the staff and any extras.
Forest Green questions
Can you cook at venues in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
Which station should guests use for Forest Green?
The closest is Ockley station, roughly 2.6 miles away.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Do you cater in Forest Green?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Forest Green and across Surrey. Send us your date to check availability.
Are premium seafood options available?
Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Can you feed plenty of people?
Yes, that is what it’s made for. We size pans and serving points to your guest list.
How far ahead should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Paella catering around Forest Green
Forest Green is about 6 miles south-west of Dorking, in Surrey. From the centre of Forest Green to the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Forest Green is one of 395 towns and villages in Surrey we cover. Our events stretch from Forest Green to Guildford (10 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Hurtwood House, can book us as a food stall. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Wallis Wood? Public parks usually need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 2 miles of Forest Green. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the RH5 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. From Horsham Road and Ockley Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Nearby, we also cater events in Ockley (2 miles south-east), Abinger Bottom (2 miles north), Coldharbour (2 miles north-east), Friday Street (3 miles north) and Abinger Common (3 miles north). We also cook in nearby towns such as Guildford (10 miles north-west), Woking (13 miles north-west), Epsom (13 miles north-east), Horley (10 miles east), Redhill (11 miles north-east) and Ewell (15 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Abinger Castle (2.9 miles north) and Mesolithic Museum (2.9 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Leith Hill and Vann Lake.
- Pubs nearby include The Parrot pub (within half a mile south)
How we price paella catering
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- How many staff you need
- How many courses
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Parking and unloading
There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Details that help
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Which courses you have in mind
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Where the event is
Send us the date, your venue or RH5 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Where we can cook in Forest Green
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
Occasions we cook for in Forest Green
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
These are some of the occasions we cater:
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Garden get-togethers
- Big birthdays
For guests coming by train, Ockley station is about 2.6 miles away.
Before you book anyone
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- When payment is due
- How each diet is kept separate
- Travel and parking costs
The process
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. Evenings in Forest Green 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.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Getting ready for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Leave space around the cooking area
Ask for a quote
To get a price, use our quote form. Tell us about your event in Forest Green, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Read more
Live paella or other catering?
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Why us?
- Drinks service on request
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Fast service from the pan
Take a look at How we price And The cost guide.
About the dishes
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Dietary needs and planning tips
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Count adults and children separately
- Tell us what else is being served
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Places near Forest Green
Other catering in Forest Green
- 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