Greater London · England
Paella Catering in Forestdale
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Forestdale.
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Retirement celebrations
- Garden get-togethers
Book paella catering in Forestdale
Planning the cooking area
Before the day, we’ll agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
As a London location, Forestdale is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we offer
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
How our paella catering works in Forestdale
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. For retirement celebrations and anniversary celebrations, we’ll put together a menu of vegetable paella, vegan paella and paella Valenciana.
Gardens in London can be narrow, but a level spot away from fences and trees is normally all we need. In Forestdale, the bigger question is parking near the house or venue. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
- Area
- Forestdale (CR0, CR2)
- County
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
For planners, venues and organisers
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.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Forestdale? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Catering for every guest
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Tell us what else is being served
- Give us separate numbers for children
A short rest after cooking helps, which is when we normally call guests over.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
What’s in the pans
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. 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.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Forestdale: venues, travel and local tips
Forestdale is about 3 miles south-east of Croydon, in Greater London. For an event in Forestdale, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Forestdale. We cater in all 764 towns and villages across Greater London. Our nearest city page is London, about 11 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Addington Palace (0.9 miles north) and Down House (4 miles east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Courtwood Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
We cater events across the CR0 and CR2 postcode area. Your event could be at a home on Courtwood Lane, Goldfinch Road and Bardolph Avenue or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Forestdale, we also cover Selsdon (1 mile west), New Addington (1 mile east), Addington (1 mile north), Farleigh (1 mile south) and Fickleshole (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include London (11 miles north), City of Westminster (13 miles north-west), Marylebone (13 miles north), Kensington (13 miles north-west), St Pancras (13 miles north) and Shoreditch (13 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Warlingham Park Hospital (1.9 miles south) and Croydon Airport Visitor Centre (3.5 miles west). The countryside around Forestdale includes Nore Hill and Hutchinson's Bank.
- Schools near Forestdale include John Ruskin College (0.5 miles north-west)
Who books paella catering in Forestdale?
There’s no kitchen needed, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Big birthdays
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Christenings and family gatherings
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like St Francis, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
What to look for in a quote
- The deposit and payment dates
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- What the price includes, item by item
- How late numbers can change
Step by step
We work to your timings. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we adjust the cooking so it’s served at its best. Evenings in Forestdale stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Get a quote
It’s easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Read more
Towns and villages near Forestdale
What else we do in Forestdale
Questions from Forestdale
Could we have live paella in Addington Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
What about parking in Forestdale?
London parking needs planning: let us know about permits or off-street space. We will work around it.
Do you do starters?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you so the paella is ready when you want it.
Do you come to Forestdale?
Yes. We cater across London and the South East, and Forestdale is within our area and the rest of Greater London. To check your date, send us your details through our quote form.
What affects the price in Forestdale
There is nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- How long we are needed on site
- How many staff you need
- Your choice of paellas
- How many courses
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What we need to know
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- The date and rough timings
- Which courses you have in mind
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A picture of where we’d cook
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
- 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