Greater London · England
Live paella catering in Lee, Greater London
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Lee and Greater London, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Naming days and family parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Birthday celebrations
Live paella catering in Lee
Paella catering for your event in Lee
A couple of different pans covers everyone: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. Whether it is birthday celebrations and company summer parties, we can cook vegan paella, black rice and seafood paella.
In a London neighbourhood like Lee, the cooking spot is usually a back garden, a courtyard or a venue’s terrace. Parking and loading are the main things to plan, so tell us about permits, bays or a driveway when you ask for a quote. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
- Location
- Lee (SE12, SE13, SE3)
- County
- Greater London
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
What happens on the day
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Planning an evening event in Lee? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Getting a price
Send us the date, your venue or SE12 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Diets, allergies and planning
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Mention any other courses or food
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Count adults and children separately
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What you get with us
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- A clear, itemised quote
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together.
FAQs for Lee
Can you cook in Manor House Gardens?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of the Good Shepherd?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Is paella a full meal?
It is a full meal on its own. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Do you cover Lee?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including Lee. To check your date, send us your details through our quote form.
Which paella is most popular?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring all the cooking equipment. Tell us what the venue provides, such as tables or crockery.
What space do you need to cook?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
How long does the paella take?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you.
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Somewhere close to park and unload
Lee is in London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking can be tight: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before you book.
On the menu in Lee
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
Planners, venues and businesses
Throwing a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Events in public spaces, like parks, generally need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Towns and villages near Lee
What else we do in Lee
Perfect for your event in Lee
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, thanks to separate pans for each version. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
In Lee and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Birthday celebrations
For guests coming by train, Lee has its own station, Lee station.
Questions to ask before booking
- How bad weather is handled
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- If the price includes VAT
- Payment terms and deposit
Catering an event in Lee
Lee is about 2 miles south of Greenwich, in Greater London. We bring paella catering to homes, gardens and venues in Lee. Lee is one of 764 places in Greater London we cover. You can also see our page for London, about 6 miles away.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Manor House Gardens? Public parks normally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. Historic houses near Lee include Eltham Palace (1.7 miles east) and Queen's House (2.1 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
This part of Greater London takes in SE12, SE13 and SE3, so your event can be anywhere in it. Local streets include Old Road, Manor Lane and Mallet Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Hither Green (1 mile west), Horn Park (1 mile south-east), Lewisham (1 mile north-west), Ladywell (1 mile west) and Blackheath (1 mile north). Larger places within reach include London (6 miles north-west), City of Westminster (8 miles north-west), Marylebone (8 miles north-west), Kensington (10 miles west), St Pancras (7 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (6 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Nunhead (2.9 miles west) and University Hospital Lewisham (1.1 miles west). Open spaces near Lee include Summer Hill and Birdbrook Road Nature Reserve.
- Schools near Lee include Trinity Church of England School (within half a mile north) and International Academy of Greenwich (less than half a mile north-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Edmund Halley pub (within half a mile north-east)
Prices and what affects them
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- How many courses
- Distance and access to the venue
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Which courses you have in mind
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, use our quote form.
- 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