Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Grafham, Surrey
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 makes the food a highlight of your event in Grafham.
- Community events and fairs
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Milestone birthday parties
Book paella catering in Grafham
What’s in the pans
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
About our paella catering in Grafham
You can keep it simple or build a full menu: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We’ll recommend what fits your event. For anniversary celebrations and weddings and evening receptions, we will put together a menu of chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and black rice for your guests.
In a rural place like Grafham, the setting does a lot of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Timings are planned around your event, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Towns and villages near Grafham
Also in Grafham
Paella catering around Grafham
Grafham is about 6 miles south of Guildford, in Surrey. For an event in Grafham, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Grafham. We cook in 395 places across Surrey. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 6 miles away.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Cucknell's Wood? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Andrew, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Grafham, 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 GU5 is planned around your venue and your guests. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Birtley Green (1 mile north), Shamley Green (1 mile north), Thorncombe Street (1 mile west), Stroud Common (1 mile north-east) and Rowly (2 miles east). Further out, we also cater in Guildford (6 miles north), Woking (11 miles north), Camberley (14 miles north-west), Farnham (11 miles west), Reigate (15 miles east) and Dorking (10 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Godalming Museum (3.6 miles north-west) and Guildford Castle (4.9 miles north). Open spaces near Grafham include St Martha's Hill and Colyer's Hanger and Lower Lake.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
Prices and what affects them
These are the factors that matter most:
- Whether you need crockery
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The number of people
- How many staff you need
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
What we need to know
For a quote, it helps to have:
- What the venue already provides
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The courses you’d like
- The date and rough timings
Send us the date, your venue or GU5 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, use our quote form.
Catering for every guest
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Mention any other courses or food
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Request clear labels at the serving table
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can relax.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
Your questions about paella catering in Grafham
Is Grafham too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Could we have live paella in Cucknell's Wood?
Only if the landowner, usually the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Is paella enough as a main?
It can be. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course, and tapas or dessert can be added.
Will there be enough food?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
How much is live paella catering?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
What equipment do you bring?
Pans, burners and ingredients all come with us. You provide a suitable spot and access.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we can plan it carefully.
How does live paella catering work?
We set up a cooking area at your venue, cook the paella from scratch in large pans while your guests watch, and serve it straight from the pan.
For event organisers in Grafham
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Organising a club, school or community event in Grafham? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
What we need at the venue
Every venue is different, so we ask about the space when you contact us. In general, we need:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
On the menu in Grafham
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
How the day works
The cooking is part of the entertainment. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. Evenings in Grafham 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.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Ask for a quote
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you are ready: fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Perfect for your event in Grafham
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Grafham, people book us for events such as:
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Big birthdays
- Company summer parties
For guests coming by train, Chilworth station is about 3.5 miles away.
Before you book anyone
- Whether travel is included
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- What the price includes, item by item
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- 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