Brighton and Hove · England
Paella Catering for Hollingdean events
Paella for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Hollingdean.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Staff parties and work lunches
Paella catering in Hollingdean
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It is the pan people photograph.
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.
Paella catering for your event in Hollingdean
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Each is cooked separately. We’re frequently asked to cater naming days and family parties and weddings, from canapés to evening food, with black rice, paella Valenciana and vegetable paella.
There may be a hall or club near Hollingdean if your garden is small; any can work for paella, with permission and somewhere outside to cook. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- Hollingdean (BN1, BN2)
- Area hub
- Brighton and Hove
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Dietary needs and planning tips
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we time it carefully. If timings shift, we adapt.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Common questions in Hollingdean
We’re having a ceremony at St Richard's: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Could we have live paella in William Clarke Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a picture.
Can you cater for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan for them.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
Can we choose the seafood?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it’s cooked separately.
How long does the paella take?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you so the paella is ready when you want it.
Occasions we cook for in Hollingdean
There’s no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Hollingdean:
- Retirement celebrations
- Anniversary celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Milestone birthday parties
Thinking of a picnic-style party in William Clarke Park? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
What to look for in a quote
- Space, access and power needs
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- VAT, if it applies
- When final numbers are due
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Hollingdean: venues, travel and local tips
Hollingdean is about 1 mile north of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. Tell us where your event in Hollingdean will be, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. Hollingdean is one of 30 places in Brighton and Hove we cover.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Richard's, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Historic houses near Hollingdean include Preston Manor & Gardens (0.9 miles west) and Royal Pavilion (1.5 miles south). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. The South Downs National Park is within about 6 miles of Hollingdean. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours. The coast is within about 2 miles of Hollingdean, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
We cook at events all over BN1 and BN2 and the streets around it. Whether your event is on Mayo Road, Dewe Road and Rugby Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. Other places close to Hollingdean for paella catering include Brighton (1 mile south), Preston (1 mile west), Moulsecoomb (1 mile east), Prestonville (1 mile south-west) and Hanover (1 mile south). Further out, we also cater in Brighton and Hove (3 miles west), Aldrington (3 miles west), Hangleton (3 miles west), Saltdean (5 miles south-east), East Saltdean (5 miles south-east) and Roedean (3 miles south-east). Hollingdean is one of the larger places we cover in Brighton and Hove, with lots of choice for events.
A little further out are Brighton General Hospital (1.1 miles south-east) and Clayton Castle (4.6 miles north). Open spaces near Hollingdean include Newmarket Hill and Bevendean Down.
- Local schools include Varndean School (0.5 miles north-west) and Varndean College (0.8 miles north-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Pub at Fiveways (within half a mile west)
Before you choose a spot
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
Menu ideas
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
Why choose live paella in Hollingdean?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Why book with us
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Catering across Brighton and Hove, including Hollingdean
Read Our prices page And The cost guide.
Also near Hollingdean
Also in Hollingdean
What happens on the day
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Guests typically gather round to watch as the paella takes shape. Evenings in Hollingdean stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Before we arrive
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you are ready: use our quote form.
Read more
Organising for someone else?
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
- 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