West Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Hassocks
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Hassocks and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Milestone birthday parties
Paella catering for Hassocks events
How our paella catering works in Hassocks
One cooking area feeds a lot of people, very little goes to waste, and the food arrives hot. It’s why live paella suits so many kinds of event. We cook chicken and chorizo paella, mixed paella and seafood paella, and we’re often booked for garden parties and summer barbecues and staff parties and work lunches.
There may be a hall or club near Hassocks if your garden is small; any can work for paella, with permission and somewhere outside to cook. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Area
- Hassocks (BN6)
- County
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Should I cook it myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Live paella or other catering?
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why book with us
- Catering across West Sussex, including Hassocks
- Drinks service on request
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Take a look at Our prices page Or What paella catering costs.
Places near Hassocks
More for events in Hassocks
Why choose paella catering in Hassocks?
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
In Hassocks and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Company summer parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Milestone birthday parties
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Hassocks Infant School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Before you book anyone
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- The wet-weather plan
- How long the team stays
Diets, allergies and planning
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Sangria and bar staff can be added to serve drinks you provide.
Your questions about paella catering in Hassocks
Is Hassocks close to London?
About 40 miles from central London.
Which station should guests use for Hassocks?
Hassocks has its own station: Hassocks station.
Do you do desserts?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
Is halal food available?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
When do you arrive?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
How far ahead should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
What is live paella catering?
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.
Planning live paella in Hassocks
Hassocks is about 2 miles south of Burgess Hill, in West Sussex. For paella catering in Hassocks, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Hassocks is one of 371 places in West Sussex where we cook. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 7 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Hassocks station is in Hassocks itself. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like St Francis of Assisi, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Hassocks is within about 2 miles of the South Downs National Park, 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.
We cater events across BN6. Your event could be at a home on London Road, Semley Road and Farm Close. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Keymer (1 mile east), Hurst Wickham (1 mile north-west), Clayton (1 mile south), Hurstpierpoint (1 mile north-west) and Ditchling (1 mile east). Further out, we also cater in Crawley (13 miles north), Horsham (12 miles north-west), Worthing (13 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (5 miles north-east), East Grinstead (15 miles north-east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (8 miles south-west).
Nearby you’ll also find The Budding Foundation Museum of Gardening (under half a mile south-west) and Clayton Castle (1.2 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve and Wolstonbury Hill.
- Local schools include Downlands Community School (0.5 miles south-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Hassocks pub (under half a mile south-east)
For event organisers in Hassocks
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
What happens on the day
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. In Hassocks, 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. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Before we arrive
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Getting a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can use our quote form.
Planning help
What paella catering costs
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- How many courses
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Guest numbers
- Timings and hours
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
What we need to know
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Expected numbers
- The venue or postcode
Send us the date, your venue or BN6 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just use our quote form.
Space, weather and the venue
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- 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