East Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Founthill, East Sussex
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Founthill.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
Paella catering for Founthill events
Paella catering for your event in Founthill
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field. On the menu are chicken and chorizo paella, mixed paella and vegan paella, and we’re often booked for wedding breakfasts and evening food and fairs, fêtes and festivals.
In a rural place like Founthill, the setting does a lot of the work: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Timings are planned around your event, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Location
- Founthill (BN8)
- County
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Founthill: venues, travel and local tips
Founthill is about 3 miles west of Uckfield, in East Sussex. Wherever your event is in the BN8 area, we can cook for your guests. We cater in 289 places in East Sussex. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 11 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Uckfield station, about 3.3 miles east. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Newick Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Founthill is within about 7 miles of the South Downs National Park, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in BN8 is planned around your venue and timings. Other places close to Founthill for paella catering include Newick (1 mile north-west), Chailey (1 mile west), North Chailey (2 miles west), South Street (2 miles south-west) and Mount Pleasant (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Seaford (13 miles south), Lewes (6 miles south), Hailsham (12 miles south-east), Crowborough (9 miles north-east), Uckfield (3 miles east) and Newhaven (12 miles south).
Other landmarks nearby include Uckfield Community Hospital (3.7 miles east) and Heaven Farm Museum (3.9 miles north).
- Nearby, you’ll find The Royal Oak Inn (0.7 miles north)
Common questions in Founthill
Do you cater in the South Downs National Park?
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 The Parish Church of St Mary: 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. Tell us where the reception will be.
How far ahead should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Ask about your date even if it is soon.
Do you bring everything you need?
All cooking kit comes with us. Tell us what the venue provides, such as tables or crockery.
Can you feed a lot of people?
Very much so. We size pans and serving points to your guest list.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
How does live paella catering work?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve at the time you want.
What about pudding?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
Why choose paella catering in Founthill?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
Here are some of the events we cook for in Founthill and East Sussex:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Company summer parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
For a christening or wedding at a church such as The Parish Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Questions to ask before you book
- When payment is due
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- The deadline for final numbers
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
The menu, dish by dish
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is typically served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it’s frequently the first pan to empty.
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Is live paella right for your event?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why Founthill hosts choose us
- Events in Founthill and across East Sussex
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- A quote that spells everything out
Read Our prices page And The cost guide.
Also near Founthill
Other catering in Founthill
Prices and what affects them
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Waiting and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What to tell us
To speed things up, tell us:
- The date and time of the event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The address or venue name
- A picture of where we’d cook
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
DIY paella versus live catering
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
What happens on the day
We work to your timings. If things run behind, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is still served fresh. Planning an evening event in Founthill? 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 in good time to set up.
- 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
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Let us know the timings for the day
Getting a price
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. To start, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
What we need at the venue
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Founthill
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- 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