West Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Graffham, West Sussex
Something for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Graffham.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
Paella catering near Graffham
How our paella catering works in Graffham
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Every pan is cooked on its own. We’re often asked to cater wedding breakfasts and evening food and festivals, fairs and school events, serving chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and vegetable paella.
For a rural spot like Graffham, the countryside is part of the appeal: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Tell us about access and the ground. We serve straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and service is quick once it is ready.
- Location
- Graffham (GU28)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Live paella in Graffham: local details
Graffham is about 9 miles north-east of Chichester, in West Sussex. Anywhere in GU28, we’ll come to your venue or garden. Graffham is one of 371 towns and villages in West Sussex we cover. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 21 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Cowdray House (3.5 miles north-west) and Bignor Roman Villa (4.1 miles south-east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. For a christening or wedding at a church such as The Parish Church of St Giles, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. The South Downs National Park is within about 4 miles of Graffham, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the GU28 postcode area. From Guillods Cottages and St Giles Place or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. We also cook at events in East Lavington (1 mile south-east), Duncton (2 miles east), Selham (2 miles north), South Ambersham (2 miles north) and Rotherbridge (3 miles north-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Worthing (15 miles south-east), Bognor Regis (11 miles south), Chichester (9 miles south-west), Selsey (15 miles south), Littlehampton (11 miles south-east) and Emsworth (13 miles south-west).
A little further out are Coultershaw Heritage Site (3.1 miles north-east) and Midhurst Community Hospital (3.9 miles north-west). Not far away are Levin Down and Graffham Common.
- Nearby, you’ll find The Woodman pub (within half a mile south)
About the dishes
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is normally served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Graffham questions
We’re having a ceremony at The Parish Church of St Giles: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook at venues in the South Downs National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Does paella work for big events?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
Can you cater for children?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is generally popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
Are premium seafood options available?
We’ll suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
How do you work out quantities?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
What happens with live paella?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Catering for every guest
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Put allergy details in writing
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Give us separate numbers for children
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we time it carefully. If timings shift, we adapt.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Why choose live paella in Graffham?
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and usually costs more per head. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why Graffham hosts choose us
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Sangria and bar staff available
Read Our prices page And The cost guide.
Occasions we cook for in Graffham
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Community events and fairs
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Graffham CofE Infant School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- Payment terms and deposit
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Whether VAT is included
- What the caterer needs from your venue
Places near Graffham
Also in Graffham
DIY paella versus live catering
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Organising for someone else?
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Organising a club, school or community event in Graffham? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
The process
Watching it cook is half the fun. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring. Evenings in Graffham stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Give us a contact for the day
Getting a price
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote.
Read more
What paella catering costs
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- How long we’re needed on site
- Parking and unloading
- How many guests are eating
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before booking.
What to tell us
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- The address or venue name
- Which courses you have in mind
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: send us your details through our quote form.
- 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