East Sussex · England
Paella Catering for Little Horsted events
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Little Horsted. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Anniversary celebrations
- Birthday celebrations
Book paella catering in Little Horsted
About our paella catering in Little Horsted
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We’re often asked to cater weddings, from canapés to evening food and retirement celebrations, with seafood paella, paella Valenciana and black rice.
Somewhere as small as Little Horsted, a garden or field is often the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Where
- Little Horsted (TN22)
- Area hub
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
How it works
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. Evenings in Little Horsted stay light until about 9:15pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers 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.
Preparing for the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Let us know the timings for the day
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Towns and villages near Little Horsted
More for events in Little Horsted
FAQs for Little Horsted
Can you cook in Hempstead Meadow?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Is Little Horsted too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
What about pudding?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
What does paella catering cost?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we’ll send a quote.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Live paella or other catering?
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why us?
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Fast service from the pan
- Catering across East Sussex, including Little Horsted
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
Take a look at Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Let us know about other food at the event
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Who books paella catering in Little Horsted?
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Garden get-togethers
- Milestone birthday parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Little Horsted Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- How long the team stays
- When final numbers are due
- What the price includes, item by item
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
Catering an event in Little Horsted
Little Horsted is about 1 mile south of Uckfield, in East Sussex. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Little Horsted and the surrounding area. Little Horsted is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we cook. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 13 miles away.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as The Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Parks such as Hempstead Meadow normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Little Horsted is within about 7 miles of the South Downs National Park. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the TN22 postcode area. Streets in the area include Ayrshire Lane, White Park Avenue and Meadow Grass Lane, and we can cook for an event on any of them. For events just outside Little Horsted, we cover Ridgewood (1 mile north-east), Isfield (1 mile south-west), Rose Hill (2 miles south-west), Budlett's Common (3 miles north) and Mount Pleasant (3 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (14 miles south-east), Seaford (12 miles south), Lewes (6 miles south-west), Hailsham (9 miles south-east), Crowborough (8 miles north-east) and Newhaven (11 miles south).
Well-known places in the area include Uckfield Community Hospital (1.3 miles north-east) and Museum of Agricultural Bygones (3.8 miles south). Open spaces near Little Horsted include Brickfield Meadow.
- Local schools include Uckfield College (1.8 miles north)
- Local pubs include The Highlands pub (0.9 miles north-east)
The menu, dish by dish
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It’s a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Space, weather and the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Menu ideas
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
Prices and what affects them
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Parking and unloading
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- How many courses
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
What we need to know
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Expected numbers
- The address or venue name
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can 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