West Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Maidenbower, West Sussex
Paella for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Maidenbower.
- Big birthdays
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Retirement celebrations
Paella catering in Maidenbower
Paella catering in Maidenbower, made fresh on the day
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. Popular choices include paella Valenciana, chicken and chorizo paella and black rice, and typical bookings are for big birthdays and community events and fairs.
Around Maidenbower, events are frequently in gardens, local halls or nearby venues. If the road in is narrow, tell us so we can plan the van. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Where
- Maidenbower (RH10)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Why choose paella catering in Maidenbower?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We often cook for:
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Retirement celebrations
- Office lunches and staff parties
For guests coming by train, Three Bridges station is about 1.1 miles away.
Before you book anyone
- A clear list of what’s included
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- Payment terms and deposit
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
Towns and villages near Maidenbower
Other catering in Maidenbower
For planners, venues and organisers
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Common questions in Maidenbower
Is Maidenbower close to London?
Roughly 27 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Could we have live paella in Tilgate Park?
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 for children?
Of course. Children often love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
What do you need at the venue?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
How do you work out quantities?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
What paella catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many courses
- How many guests are eating
- Distance and access to the venue
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Details that help
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- Anything your venue supplies
- Which courses you have in mind
- Your date and when you want to eat
- The address or venue name
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
DIY paella versus live catering
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
How the day works
Watching it cook is half the fun. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. In Maidenbower, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Getting a price
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Planning help
Dietary needs and planning tips
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Make sure each pan is labelled
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
Sangria and bar staff can be added for your own drinks.
Paella compared with other options
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain to your event in Maidenbower. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What you get with us
- We cover Maidenbower and the whole of West Sussex
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Read How we price Or What paella catering costs.
Paella catering around Maidenbower
Maidenbower is about 2 miles east of Crawley, in West Sussex. For paella catering in Maidenbower, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Maidenbower is one of 371 places in West Sussex we cover. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 19 miles away.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Tilgate Park? Public parks generally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like St Nicholas' Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Maidenbower, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cook at events all over the RH10 postcode area. Streets in the area include Holder Road, Palmer Road and Casher Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Worth (1 mile north), Three Bridges (1 mile north-west), Tilgate (1 mile west), Pound Hill (1 mile north) and Crawley (2 miles west). Further out, we also cater in Horsham (8 miles west), Haywards Heath (8 miles south), Burgess Hill (10 miles south), East Grinstead (6 miles east), Broadfield (3 miles west) and Billingshurst (14 miles south-west).
A little further out are Crawley Museum (2 miles north-west) and Crawley Hospital (2.3 miles north-west). Open spaces near Maidenbower include Tilgate Lake.
- Local schools include Oriel High School (within half a mile north-west)
- Local pubs include The Charcoal Burner pub (0.9 miles west)
Planning the cooking area
No two venues are the same, so we will ask about yours before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
On the menu in Maidenbower
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- 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