East Sussex · England
Live paella catering in John's Cross, East Sussex
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in John's Cross and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Naming days and family parties
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
Paella catering in John's Cross
About our paella catering in John's Cross
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That’s exactly what we bring to your event in John's Cross. Whether it is christenings and family gatherings and leaving dos and retirements, we’ll put together a menu of seafood paella, vegetable paella and paella Valenciana for your guests.
In a rural place like John's Cross, the setting does plenty of the work: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Timings are planned around your event, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Where
- John's Cross (TN32)
- Area hub
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
John's Cross: your questions answered
Is John's Cross too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Can you cook at venues in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
When should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it is short notice, it’s worth asking.
Do you cook inside?
Generally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, since the burners are gas. Some venues have suitable spaces; we will check with you and the venue.
Can you bring crockery?
We can. Let us know what you have, and we will quote for the rest.
Do you do starters?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is generally popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
What areas do you cover?
We cater across London and the South East, East Sussex included. See all areas.
For planners, venues and organisers
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Paella catering around John's Cross
John's Cross is about 7 miles north-west of Hastings, in East Sussex. We cater events at gardens, halls and venues around John's Cross and nearby villages. We cook in all 289 towns and villages across East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 28 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Durhamford Manor (2.1 miles south-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Vinehall School, can book us as a food stall. John's Cross is within about 6 miles of the High Weald 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 cater events across TN32. From Vinehall Road and John's Cross Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Other places close to John's Cross for paella catering include Mountfield (1 mile south-west), Robertsbridge (2 miles north-west), Northbridge Street (2 miles north), Salehurst (2 miles north) and Netherfield (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (15 miles south-west), Hastings (7 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (8 miles south), Hailsham (12 miles south-west), Crowborough (15 miles north-west) and St Leonards (8 miles south).
A little further out are Battle Museum of Local History (3.2 miles south). The countryside around John's Cross includes Senlac Hill.
- Local schools include Robertsbridge Community College (1.9 miles north-west)
- Local pubs include John's Cross Public House (within half a mile west)
Prices and what affects them
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The number of people
- Travel, parking and access
- How many courses
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
What we need to know
To speed things up, tell us:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Which courses you have in mind
- The venue or postcode
- Diets and allergies you know about
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a paella that stands on its own. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, rather than seafood. It’s often the most popular pan at an event.
Places near John's Cross
What else we do in John's Cross
Who books paella catering in John's Cross?
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
These are some of the occasions we cater around John's Cross:
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Anniversary celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Milestone birthday parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Robertsbridge station, about 1.7 miles north-west.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether VAT is included
- When payment is due
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- How bad weather is handled
Should I cook it myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Step by step
Here’s how the day usually runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and we serve straight from the pan when you’re ready to eat. Around midsummer it stays light in John's Cross until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, 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.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
How to prepare
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Tell us when you want to eat
Ask for a quote
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, use our quote form.
Read more
Planning for every diet
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Try these:
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Count adults and children separately
- Mention any other courses or food
- Ensure each pan is labelled
A short rest after cooking helps, and that’s when we invite guests up.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
What we need at the venue
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- 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