West Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Little London, West Sussex
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Little London and across West Sussex.
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Naming days and family parties
- Birthday celebrations
Paella catering for Little London events
Perfect for your event in Little London
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
Whatever you are celebrating in Little London, live paella can be the centrepiece. We frequently cook for:
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like St Peter's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
What to look for in a quote
- When final numbers are due
- What the price includes, item by item
- If the price includes VAT
- Payment terms and deposit
About our paella catering in Little London
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the smell does the rest. Typical bookings include staff parties and work lunches and weddings, from canapés to evening food, serving mixed paella, chicken and chorizo paella and vegetable paella.
In a rural place like Little London, the setting does plenty of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
- Where
- Little London (RH17)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning the cooking area
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Level ground for the pans and burners
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
Live paella in Little London: local details
Little London is about 4 miles north of Haywards Heath, in West Sussex. For paella catering in Little London, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Little London is one of 371 towns and villages in West Sussex we cover. We cook right across the region, from Little London to Brighton (16 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as St Peter's CofE Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Nearby historic houses include Priest House (1.8 miles north-east) and Gravetye Manor (2.5 miles north-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Little London, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
For paella catering in RH17, we plan around your venue and timings. If your venue is just outside Little London, we also cover Ardingly (1 mile south), Highbrook (1 mile east), West Hoathly (2 miles north-east), Sharpthorne (2 miles north-east) and Selsfield Common (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (6 miles north-west), Horsham (10 miles west), Haywards Heath (4 miles south), Burgess Hill (7 miles south), East Grinstead (6 miles north-east) and Broadfield (6 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Princess Royal Hospital (4.6 miles south) and Waterbury Castle (2.5 miles south-east). Not far away are Tilgate Lake and Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow.
- Nearby, you’ll find The Gardeners Arms (less than half a mile north)
Questions from Little London
Which station should guests use for Little London?
Balcombe station, about 2.3 miles west of the centre.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Peter's Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Do you cater for young children?
Children are welcome. Let us know numbers and ages, and we will plan for them.
Do you cook inside?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Is paella enough as a main?
It can be. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course.
Do you take everything away?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Are premium seafood options available?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu, including premium options if you want them.
How the day works
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Evenings in Little London 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.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Get a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
DIY paella versus live catering
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Also near Little London
What else we do in Little London
The menu, dish by dish
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
How we price paella catering
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The length of service
- Parking and unloading
- How many staff you need
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
What we need to know
To check availability and price, we need:
- The address or venue name
- The date and rough timings
- Anything your venue supplies
- Diets and allergies you know about
Planning paella catering in Little London? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, send us your details through our quote form.
For planners, venues and organisers
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and it is entertaining too. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why choose Love Paella in Little London
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- We cover Little London and the whole of West Sussex
Take a look at How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
- 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