East Sussex · England
Live paella catering in High Cross, East Sussex
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in High Cross: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Big birthdays
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Community events and fairs
Paella catering near High Cross
Paella catering for your event in High Cross
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We’re frequently asked to cater wedding breakfasts and evening food and anniversaries and engagement parties, serving vegetable paella, black rice and seafood paella.
In a small place like High Cross, events are normally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We plan the timings around your day, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Location
- High Cross (TN6)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Where we can cook in High Cross
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Level ground for the pans and burners
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in High Cross
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Paella catering around High Cross
High Cross is about 3 miles east of Crowborough, in East Sussex. Give us the address of your event in High Cross, and we’ll plan access and set-up. High Cross is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we cook. Our events stretch from High Cross to Brighton (21 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Crowborough station, about 1.8 miles west. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like The Parish Church of St Denys, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. High Cross is within about 2 miles of the High Weald National Landscape. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the TN6 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Main roads around High Cross include the B2101, which makes travel to your event easy. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Argos Hill (1 mile east), Rotherfield (1 mile north-west), Town Row (1 mile north), Woolbridge (1 mile south) and Wellbrook (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cater in Lewes (15 miles south-west), Hailsham (12 miles south), Crowborough (3 miles west), Uckfield (7 miles south-west), Polegate (15 miles south) and South Malling (14 miles south-west).
Well-known places in the area include Crowborough War Memorial Hospital (3.1 miles west). The countryside around High Cross includes Crowborough Country Park.
- Nearby, you will find The King's Arms Public House (0.6 miles north-west)
Dietary needs and planning tips
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Planners, venues and businesses
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Organising a club, school or community event in High Cross? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and typically costs more per head. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and it’s entertaining too. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Why us?
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Events we cater in High Cross
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Milestone birthday parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Family celebrations and christenings
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Rotherfield Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Comparing caterers
- When final numbers are due
- Whether travel is included
- Allergen information for each dish
- The wet-weather plan
What paella catering costs
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- Guest numbers
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Getting an accurate quote
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The venue or postcode
- The date and rough timings
To get a price, fill in our quote form. Tell us about your event in High Cross, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Also near High Cross
Also in High Cross
High Cross: your questions answered
Which station should guests use for High Cross?
The closest is Crowborough station, roughly 1.8 miles away.
Can you cook at venues in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Can you cater for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan for them.
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.
Is halal food available?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
Should we have more than one paella?
Most events have two or three: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We’ll suggest a split based on your guests.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
How much is live paella catering?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
Step by step
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. Planning an evening event in High Cross? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Before we arrive
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Get a quote
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote.
Related guides
- 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