Greater London · England
Paella Catering in Hacton
Paella for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Hacton.
- Garden get-togethers
- Company summer parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Live paella catering in Hacton
How our paella catering works in Hacton
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. When it’s ready, it is served straight from the pan. Popular choices include black rice, chicken and chorizo paella and mixed paella, and we’re frequently booked for festivals, fairs and school events and company summer parties.
In Hacton, events range from terrace gardens to hired halls. Let us know where we can stop to unload, and whether there are steps or narrow passages. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Area
- Hacton (RM12, RM14, RM13)
- Region
- Greater London
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Events we cater in Hacton
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Hacton book us for events such as:
- Garden get-togethers
- Milestone birthday parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Christenings and family gatherings
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Matthews Church Hall, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Before you book anyone
- How late numbers can change
- Staff numbers and hours
- Allergen information for each dish
- Who provides the crockery
A closer look at the menu
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, and a popular all-rounder.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
Nearby places to Hacton
What else we do in Hacton
Step by step
The paella is cooked in huge, shallow pans over gas burners. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. Planning an evening event in Hacton? 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.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
Get a quote
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Planning for every diet
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Tell us what else is being served
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, and that is when we invite guests up.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Common questions in Hacton
What’s the nearest station to Hacton for guests?
Upminster station, about 1.8 miles north-east of the centre.
Could we have live paella in Hornchurch Country Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Which paellas suit our guests?
That depends on who’s coming. A chicken or mixed paella is generally the most popular, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
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.
Can paella be the only main course?
Yes. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main, and tapas or dessert can be added.
Do you take everything away?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
What paella catering costs
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Travel, parking and access
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The length of service
- Guest numbers
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Getting an accurate quote
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Where the event is
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Live paella in Hacton: local details
Hacton is about 2 miles south of Hornchurch, in Greater London. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Hacton. We cover all 764 towns and villages in Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Hacton to London (14 miles away).
Historic houses near Hacton include Rainham Hall (2.1 miles south-west) and Hare Hall (3.4 miles north). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. For guests coming by train, Upminster station is about 1.8 miles away.
Anywhere in RM12, RM14 and RM13, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Your event could be at a home on Gerpins Lane and Berwick Pond Road or the roads around them. Nearby, we also cater events in Upminster Bridge (1 mile north), Hornchurch (2 miles north), Upminster (2 miles north-east), Wennington (2 miles south) and Cranham (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover London (14 miles west), St Pancras (15 miles west), Shoreditch (13 miles west), Walthamstow (11 miles west), Hoxton (13 miles west) and Whitechapel (13 miles west).
Other landmarks nearby include Hornchurch Urban District (2 miles north) and St George's Hospital (0.7 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Ingrebourne Valley.
- Local schools include Sanders Draper School (1 mile north-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Optimist Tavern (0.8 miles north)
Planning the cooking area
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
Hacton is in London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking can be tight: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
Is live paella right for your event?
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, thanks to separate pans. It’s served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
What you get with us
- A quote that spells everything out
- Catering across Greater London, including Hacton
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- 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