Greater London · England
Paella Catering in Hadley
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Hadley. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Company summer parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Paella catering for Hadley events
Common questions in Hadley
Can you cater a reception after a service at Christ Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is parking a problem for events in Hadley?
It can be, so tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway. We will plan unloading around it.
What about pudding?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
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 provide drinks?
Yes, sangria. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
How many different paellas?
Two or three covers most guests. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
What areas do you cover?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Hadley.
What seafood can we have?
Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
How our paella catering works in Hadley
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. For birthday celebrations and anniversary celebrations, we can cook chicken and chorizo paella, mixed paella and black rice for your guests.
From a terraced garden to a hired hall, events in Hadley come in all shapes. Tell us how close we can park, 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.
- Location
- Hadley (EN5, EN4)
- Region
- Greater London
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Should I cook it myself?
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. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Hadley: venues, travel and local tips
Hadley is about 1 mile north-west of Barnet, in Greater London. From the centre of Hadley to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cover all 764 towns and villages in Greater London. You can also see our page for London, about 12 miles away.
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Christ Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. For guests coming by train, New Barnet station is about 1.3 miles away.
We cater events across EN5 and EN4. We can cater an event on streets such as Byng Road, Park Road and Dury Road. Being close to the A1081, Hadley is simple for us to get to for your event. Nearby, we also cater events in High Barnet (1 mile west), Kitts End (1 mile north), Arkley (1 mile south-west), Totteridge (1 mile south) and Dancers Hill (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include London (12 miles south-east), City of Westminster (10 miles south), Marylebone (10 miles south), Kensington (11 miles south), St Pancras (10 miles south) and Shoreditch (10 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Spires Shopping Centre (less than half a mile south-west) and Barnet Urban District (0.5 miles south). Open spaces near Hadley include Darland's Lake and King George's Fields (Monken Hadley).
- Nearby schools include Foulds School (under half a mile west) and Queen Elizabeth's Girls' School (under half a mile south-east)
- Pubs nearby include Ye Olde Monken Holt pub (within half a mile north)
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Ask for labels on each pan
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Where we can cook in Hadley
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space when you get in touch. Generally, we look for:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
Hadley 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’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Popular choices
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
What happens on the day
Watching it cook is half the fun. 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 Hadley 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.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
How to prepare
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Give us a contact for the day
Get a quote
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
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Nearby places to Hadley
More for events in Hadley
Perfect for your event in Hadley
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Birthday celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Summer garden parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
Thinking of a picnic-style party in King George's Fields (Monken Hadley)? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
What your quote should include
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- If the price includes VAT
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s usually the most photographed pan.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Why choose live paella in Hadley?
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, so everyone can eat at the same time. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What you get with us
- A quote that spells everything out
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Take a look at Our prices page Or What paella catering costs.
For planners, venues and organisers
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Hosting a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
- 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