Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Horley, Surrey
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Horley.
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Big birthdays
- Naming days and family parties
Planning an event in Horley?
How we price paella catering
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Whether you need crockery
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Distance and access to the venue
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Getting an accurate quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- Expected numbers
- The address or venue name
- Anything your venue supplies
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, use our quote form.
Paella catering in Horley, cooked live
A couple of different pans covers everyone: meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan paellas. Every pan is cooked on its own, so diets are easy to manage. Whether it’s wedding breakfasts and evening food and garden get-togethers, we’ll put together a menu of chicken and chorizo paella, seafood paella and vegan paella.
Most events in a town like Horley are in gardens, halls with outdoor space or hired venues. All of them work, as long as there’s a level spot to cook and somewhere close to park. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Places near Horley
What else we do in Horley
Before you choose a spot
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Diets, allergies and planning
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
The menu, dish by dish
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.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Horley: your questions answered
Can you cook at venues in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Which station should guests use for Horley?
The closest is Horley station, roughly 0.8 miles away.
Which paellas do you recommend?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
Do you cater in Horley?
We do. We cook at events in Horley and across Surrey. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
Are premium seafood options available?
Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Occasions we cook for in Horley
People book live paella because it is food and entertainment at once. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food is hot and generous.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Horley and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Naming days and family parties
- Milestone birthday parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like St Wilfrid's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
What to look for in a quote
- When final numbers are due
- The deposit and payment dates
- Space, access and power needs
- What happens if it rains
How the day works
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. Evenings in Horley stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- First, tell us about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Name one person we can ask on the day
How to get a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Paella compared with other options
For something a little different, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre to your event in Horley. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why book with us
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Drinks service on request
- Catering across Surrey, including Horley
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Read Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Paella catering around Horley
Horley is about 5 miles north of Crawley, in Surrey. For an event in Horley, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. We cover all 395 towns and villages in Surrey. Our events stretch from Horley to Guildford (18 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Horley station, about 0.8 miles south-east. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Horley Infant School, can book us as a food stall. Horley is within about 8 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in RH6 is planned around your venue and timings. Whether your event is on Station Road, High Street and Church Road or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. Horley is on the A23 and B2036, so it’s easy for us to reach with the van and pans. For events just outside Horley, we cover Hookwood (1 mile south-west), Fernhill (2 miles south-east), Burstow (2 miles south-east), Smallfield (2 miles east) and Shipley Bridge (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cater in Epsom (12 miles north), Redhill (4 miles north), Ewell (13 miles north), Reigate (4 miles north), Caterham (8 miles north-east) and Dorking (8 miles north-west). Horley is one of the larger places we cover in Surrey, with plenty of venues for events.
A little further out are Reigate Castle (4.5 miles north) and East Surrey Hospital (2.8 miles north). Not far away are Reigate Heath.
- Schools near Horley include Oakwood School (0.7 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include The Bull pub (within half a mile west)
- 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