Greater London · England
Paella Catering in Monkhams
Something for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Monkhams.
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Weddings and evening receptions
Paella catering in Monkhams
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Paella catering in Monkhams, cooked live
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. Once it’s ready, we serve it hot from the pan. For company summer parties and retirement celebrations, we’ll put together a menu of mixed paella, black rice and seafood paella.
Gardens in London can be narrow, but a level spot away from fences and trees is normally all we need. For an event in Monkhams, tell us where we can park to unload. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
- Location
- Monkhams (IG8, IG9, E4)
- County
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
How the day works
Your timings come first. If things run behind, we adjust the cooking so it’s still served fresh. In Monkhams, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:50pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including 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.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
How to get a price
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.
Related guides
Prices and what affects them
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Waiting and bar staff
- The length of service
- Parking and unloading
- The number of people
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We’ll send you a quote.
What we need to know
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Anything your venue supplies
- Where the event is
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The courses you’d like
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, fill in our quote form.
Events we cater in Monkhams
It suits relaxed, sociable events, with guests mingling as it cooks and then sit down to share.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Monkhams, live paella can be the centrepiece. We often cook for:
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Company summer parties
- Garden get-togethers
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Nearby historic houses include Valentines Mansion (3.6 miles south-east) and Bruce Castle (4.5 miles west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Comparing caterers
- What happens if it rains
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Questions from Monkhams
Could we have live paella in The Highams Park?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
What about parking in Monkhams?
London parking needs planning: let us know about permits or off-street space. We’ll work around it.
Which paellas suit our guests?
It depends on your guests. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
What is live paella catering?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook while everyone watches, and serve at the time you want.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans.
Does paella work for big events?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
How much paella per person?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Is live paella right for your event?
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
What you get with us
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Fast service from the pan
- Drinks service on request
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Read Our prices page And The cost guide.
Monkhams: venues, travel and local tips
Monkhams is about 1 mile north of Woodford, in Greater London. Events in Monkhams are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cover 764 places across Greater London. Our nearest city page is London, about 10 miles away.
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like All Saints' Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Wells Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
This part of Greater London takes in IG8, IG9 and E4. Whether your event is on Oak Lane, Wood Lane and Mill Lane or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. Main roads around Monkhams include the A121, so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. Nearby, we also cater events in Woodford Wells (1 mile east), Friday Hill (1 mile west), Woodford (1 mile south), Chingford Hatch (1 mile west) and Waltham Forest (1 mile north). We also cook in nearby towns such as London (10 miles south-west), City of Westminster (10 miles south-west), Marylebone (10 miles south-west), Kensington (13 miles south-west), St Pancras (9 miles south-west) and Shoreditch (8 miles south-west).
A little further out are Claybury Hospital (2.1 miles south-east) and 17 & Central (3.1 miles south-west). Not far away are Highams Park Lake and Pole Hill.
- Nearby schools include Trinity Catholic High School (less than half a mile west) and Woodford Green Preparatory School (0.6 miles south)
- Local pubs include The Monkhams pub (0.8 miles east)
- Other local spots include Buckhurst Hill East (1.1 miles north-east)
Towns and villages near Monkhams
More for events in Monkhams
Diets, allergies and planning
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Mention any other courses or food
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Confirm allergies by email
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue doesn’t provide them.
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 hold the date.
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.
About the dishes
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is typically served with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
- 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