Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Hoe, Surrey
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Hoe and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Garden get-togethers
Planning an event in Hoe?
Questions from Hoe
Could we have live paella in Colekitchen Down?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Which station should guests use for Hoe?
The closest is Gomshall station, roughly 1.1 miles away.
Will there be enough food?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
What seafood can we have?
Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Is paella a full meal?
Yes. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main.
Which paella is most popular?
That depends on who’s coming. A chicken or mixed paella is typically the most popular, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
Paella catering in Hoe, made fresh on the day
One cooking area feeds plenty of people, very little goes to waste, and the food is served hot. It’s why live paella suits so many kinds of event. Typical bookings include wedding breakfasts and evening food and family celebrations and christenings, serving seafood paella, vegetable paella and black rice.
In a hamlet or village like Hoe, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
For something a little different, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre to your event in Hoe. Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why Hoe hosts choose us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- We cover Hoe and the whole of Surrey
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Read Our pricing Or What paella catering costs.
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Catering for every guest
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Put allergy details in writing
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
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.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
Working with your venue
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Organising a club, school or community event in Hoe? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Planning live paella in Hoe
Hoe is about 5 miles west of Dorking, in Surrey. We cater events at homes, gardens and venues in Hoe. We cater in all 395 towns and villages in Surrey. We cook right across the region, from Hoe to Guildford (7 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Gomshall station, about 1.1 miles north. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Colekitchen Down? Public parks generally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 2 miles of Hoe, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the GU5 postcode area. Streets in the area include Fulvens, Pursers Lane and Crest Hill, and we can cook for an event on any of them. We also cook at events in Sutton Abinger (1 mile east), Abinger Hammer (1 mile north), Gomshall (1 mile north), Abinger (1 mile east) and Little London (2 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (7 miles north-west), Woking (10 miles north-west), Camberley (15 miles north-west), Epsom (12 miles north-east), Horley (12 miles east) and Redhill (12 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Mesolithic Museum (1.5 miles east) and St. Luke’s Hospital (5.6 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Silent Pool and Leith Hill.
- Nearby schools include Hurtwood House (2.1 miles south)
- Nearby, you will find The Volunteer pub (0.9 miles east)
Also in Hoe
Before you choose a spot
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
On the menu in Hoe
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Who books paella catering in Hoe?
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Hoe book us for events such as:
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Peaslake Free School, can book us as a food stall.
Before booking anyone
- If the price includes VAT
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- When payment is due
How it works
Here’s how the day normally runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and it’s served hot from the pan when you are ready to eat. Around midsummer it stays light in Hoe until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, 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.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Before we arrive
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Read more
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, not seafood. It is a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
- 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