East Sussex · England
Paella Catering for Herstmonceux events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Herstmonceux: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Garden get-togethers
- Retirement celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
Paella catering for Herstmonceux events
How our paella catering works in Herstmonceux
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. Once it’s ready, we serve it hot from the pan. Typical bookings include wedding breakfasts and evening food and christenings and family gatherings, serving paella Valenciana, seafood paella and vegetable paella.
In a rural place like Herstmonceux, the setting does a lot of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Tell us about access and the ground. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
- Area
- Herstmonceux (BN27)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning for every diet
With a little notice, every diet is easy. We suggest:
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal.
Step by step
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. Around midsummer it stays light in Herstmonceux until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Ask for a quote
Planning paella catering in Herstmonceux? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To get in touch, use our quote form.
Read more
How we price paella catering
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Travel, parking and access
- Guest numbers
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Getting an accurate quote
To check availability and price, we need:
- The venue or postcode
- The date and rough timings
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- A photo of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
A closer look at the menu
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it’s often the first pan to empty.
Common questions in Herstmonceux
We’re having a ceremony at Herstmonceux Free Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you come out to small places like Herstmonceux?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cater for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
How do you work out quantities?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Is halal food available?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we will quote for the rest.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Do you take everything away?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Paella catering around Herstmonceux
Herstmonceux is about 3 miles north-east of Hailsham, in East Sussex. For an event in Herstmonceux, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. Herstmonceux is one of 289 towns and villages in East Sussex where we cook. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 20 miles away.
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Herstmonceux Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Historic houses near Herstmonceux include Horselunges Manor (3.1 miles west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Herstmonceux. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the BN27 postcode area. From Fairlawns Drive, Dacre Road and Fiennes Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Chapel Row (1 mile south-east), Stunts Green (1 mile north-west), Flowers Green (1 mile south), Windmill Hill (1 mile east) and Golden Cross (1 mile south). Further out, we also cater in Eastbourne (7 miles south), Hastings (11 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (7 miles south-east), Seaford (12 miles south-west), Lewes (14 miles west) and Hailsham (3 miles south-west).
Nearby you will also find Amberstone Hospital (2 miles west) and Herstmonceux Castle (1.6 miles south-east).
- Local pubs include Woolpack Inn (less than half a mile south-east)
Perfect for your event in Herstmonceux
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.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Retirement celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Big birthdays
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Herstmonceux Free Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Comparing caterers
- If the price includes VAT
- Whether travel is included
- The deposit and payment dates
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
Working with your venue
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, thanks to separate pans. It is served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Herstmonceux
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Sangria and bar staff available
Read Our prices page Or The cost guide.
Places near Herstmonceux
Other catering in Herstmonceux
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
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.
- 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