East Sussex · England
Paella Catering for Friar's Gate events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Friar's Gate: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests.
- Big birthdays
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Company summer parties
Planning an event in Friar's Gate?
Paella catering in Friar's Gate, cooked live
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. When it is ready, it is served straight from the pan. Whether it is retirement and leaving parties and wedding breakfasts and evening food, we will put together a menu of mixed paella, vegetable paella and paella Valenciana.
In a small place like Friar's Gate, events are usually in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Area
- Friar's Gate (TN6)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Paella compared with other options
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Why choose Love Paella in Friar's Gate
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Take a look at How we price And What paella catering costs.
Nearby places to Friar's Gate
Also in Friar's Gate
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Tell us what else is being served
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we time it carefully. If timings shift, we adapt.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago, or serve your own cake.
Planning the cooking area
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Friar's Gate
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
Paella catering around Friar's Gate
Friar's Gate is about 2 miles north-west of Crowborough, in East Sussex. Tell us where your event in Friar's Gate will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up before the day. We cater in all 289 towns and villages across East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 20 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Bassetts Manor (3.6 miles north-west) and Groombridge Place (3.8 miles north-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St John's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Friar's Gate. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in TN6 is planned around your venue. We also cook at events in Marden's Hill (1 mile south-east), Chuck Hatch (1 mile west), Crowborough (2 miles south-east), Steel Cross (2 miles east) and Mott's Mill (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cater in Lewes (15 miles south-west), Hailsham (15 miles south), Uckfield (7 miles south), South Malling (14 miles south), Heathfield (9 miles south-east) and Southover (15 miles south).
A little further out are Bolebroke Castle (3.4 miles north) and Crowborough War Memorial Hospital (1.9 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Crowborough Country Park.
- Schools near Friar's Gate include Beacon Academy (2 miles south-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Half Moon Inn (within half a mile north)
How the day works
Your timings come first. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is served at its best. In Friar's Gate, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Before we arrive
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Getting a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Related guides
A closer look at the menu
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It is usually the most photographed pan.
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together, and it is often the first pan to empty.
FAQs for Friar's Gate
Is Friar's Gate close to London?
About 31 miles from central London.
What’s the nearest station to Friar's Gate for guests?
Eridge station, about 3 miles east of the centre.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans.
Can paella be the only main course?
Yes. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course, and tapas or dessert can be added.
What about pudding?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
How does live paella catering work?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, while the rice is cooking.
Occasions we cook for in Friar's Gate
It needs no kitchen, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Garden get-togethers
- Anniversary celebrations
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Milestone birthday parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Eridge station, about 3 miles east.
Comparing caterers
- Space, access and power needs
- Whether travel is included
- What happens if it rains
- Allergen information for each dish
What paella catering costs
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Parking and unloading
- How many courses
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Details that help
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- The courses you’d like
- Expected numbers
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Friar's Gate? Send us the details and we will come back with ideas and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Should I cook it myself?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
- 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