West Sussex · England
Paella Catering for Ifieldwood events
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Ifieldwood. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
Paella catering in Ifieldwood
Why choose live paella in Ifieldwood?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, thanks to separate pans. It’s served quickly from the pan, so queues move. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why us?
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- A clear, itemised quote
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
See Our prices page Or The cost guide.
Paella catering in Ifieldwood, cooked live
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, there’s very little waste, and the food arrives hot. It’s why live paella suits so many kinds of event. Whether it is anniversaries and engagement parties and staff parties and work lunches, we will put together a menu of mixed paella, seafood paella and paella Valenciana for your guests.
In a small place like Ifieldwood, events are typically in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
- Where
- Ifieldwood (RH11)
- County
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Where we can cook in Ifieldwood
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
On the menu in Ifieldwood
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
Ifieldwood: your questions answered
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Margaret's Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
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’ll follow the site rules.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
How long does the paella take?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Where do you cater?
We cater across London and the South East, West Sussex included. Find your area.
Do you come to Ifieldwood?
Yes, we do. Ifieldwood is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
How many paellas should we have?
Most events have two or three: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We’ll suggest a split based on your guests.
Organising for someone else?
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
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.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Places near Ifieldwood
What else we do in Ifieldwood
What happens on the day
On the day, 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 the timing is planned around your event. Around midsummer it stays light in Ifieldwood until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You share 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 sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
How to get a price
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Tell us about your event in Ifieldwood, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Related guides
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Tell us what else is being served
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
Perfect for your event in Ifieldwood
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Birthday celebrations
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Retirement celebrations
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like The Mill Primary Academy, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Before you book anyone
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Allergen information for each dish
- The deposit and payment dates
- What the caterer needs from your venue
Ifieldwood: venues, travel and local tips
Ifieldwood is about 2 miles north-west of Crawley, in West Sussex. For paella catering in Ifieldwood, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. We cater in all 371 towns and villages across West Sussex. Our events stretch from Ifieldwood to Guildford (17 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Margaret's Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Ifield station, about 1.2 miles south-east. Ifieldwood is within about 7 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cook at events all over the RH11 postcode area. If your venue is just outside Ifieldwood, we also cover Ifield (1 mile east), Russ Hill (1 mile north), Lambs Green (1 mile south-west), Gossops Green (2 miles south-east) and Bewbush (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Horsham (6 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (11 miles south-east), Burgess Hill (13 miles south), East Grinstead (10 miles east), Broadfield (3 miles south-east) and Billingshurst (12 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Crawley Hospital (1.8 miles south-east) and County Mall (2.3 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Tilgate Lake.
- Local schools include Ifield Community College (1.3 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include Royal Oak pub (0.9 miles east)
- 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