West Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Hickstead
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Hickstead.
- Retirement celebrations
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Company summer parties
Paella catering for Hickstead events
How our paella catering works in Hickstead
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the aroma does the rest. Typical bookings include garden parties and summer barbecues and community events and fairs, with seafood paella, paella Valenciana and vegan paella.
In a small place like Hickstead, events are normally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras.
- Where
- Hickstead (RH17, BN6)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Is live paella right for your event?
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why us?
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Sangria and bar staff available
- A quote that spells everything out
- Catering across West Sussex, including Hickstead
Take a look at Our prices page And The cost guide.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Events we cater in Hickstead
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We often cook for:
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Company summer parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Burgess Hill station, about 3.1 miles east.
Before booking anyone
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- When final numbers are due
- The wet-weather plan
Catering an event in Hickstead
Hickstead is about 3 miles west of Burgess Hill, in West Sussex. From the centre of Hickstead to the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Hickstead is one of 371 places in West Sussex where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Hickstead to Brighton (10 miles away).
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like The Parish Church of St Peter, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Twineham CofE Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Hickstead is within about 5 miles of the South Downs National Park, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Wherever your event is in RH17 and BN6, we can bring paella catering to you. For events just outside Hickstead, we cover Goddards Green (1 mile east), Sayers Common (1 mile south), Abbotsford (2 miles east), Ansty (2 miles north-east) and Hurstpierpoint (2 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Crawley (10 miles north), Horsham (9 miles north-west), Worthing (13 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (5 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (3 miles east) and East Grinstead (14 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include The Dene Hospital (1.3 miles east) and Clayton Castle (4.6 miles south-east). Not far away are Wolstonbury Hill and Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve.
- Local schools include St Paul's Catholic College (1.8 miles east)
Nearby places to Hickstead
What else we do in Hickstead
Prices and what affects them
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- How many staff you need
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Distance and access to the venue
- Whether you need crockery
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Details that help
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- The date and rough timings
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Expected numbers
- Diets and allergies you know about
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can send us your details through our quote form.
About the dishes
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a paella that stands on its own. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
How the day works
Your timings come first. If things run behind, we adjust the cooking so it is served at its best. In Hickstead, 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.
- 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.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Before we arrive
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Ask for a quote
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote.
Related guides
Space, weather and the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before you book.
What we offer
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Hickstead questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Parish Church of St Peter?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you come out to small places like Hickstead?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Is the paella gluten-free?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
What areas do you cover?
We cater across London and the South East, West Sussex included. See all areas.
How do you work out quantities?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
Does paella work for big events?
It’s ideal. Big pans feed a lot of people, and service from the pan is quick.
How much is live paella catering?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Tell us your date and numbers and we’ll reply with a price.
Catering for every guest
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Confirm allergies by email
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Tell us how many children are coming
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we serve when guests are ready.
Sangria and bar staff can be added for your own drinks.
- 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