Greater London · England
Paella Catering for Mottingham events
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Mottingham and Greater London, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Engagement and anniversary parties
Live paella catering in Mottingham
Mottingham: your questions answered
Is parking a problem for events in Mottingham?
London parking needs planning: let us know about permits or off-street space. We will work around it.
Could we have live paella in Chinbrook Meadows?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Will there be enough food?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
How soon do we need to book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Ask about your date even if it is soon.
Do you bring everything you need?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You provide a suitable spot and access.
Can you supply plates?
We can. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
What areas do you cover?
We cater across London and the South East, Greater London included. See all areas.
Paella catering in Mottingham, made fresh on the day
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. When it’s ready, it is served straight from the pan. On the menu are vegan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and paella Valenciana, and we’re often booked for wedding breakfasts and evening food and anniversary celebrations.
London gardens are frequently long and narrow, which is fine for live paella as long as there is a level spot clear of fences and trees. In Mottingham, the bigger question is parking near the house or venue. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated.
- Where
- Mottingham (SE9, SE12, BR1)
- Area hub
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Live paella or other catering?
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. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What you get with us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Fast service from the pan
- A clear, itemised quote
- Real theatre, not just catering
Take a look at How we price And What paella catering costs.
Paella catering around Mottingham
Mottingham is about 1 mile south-west of Eltham, in Greater London. Give us the address of your event in Mottingham, and we’ll plan access and set-up before the day. Mottingham is one of 764 towns and villages in Greater London we cover. You can also see our page for London, about 7 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Grove Park station is about 0.7 miles away. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Chinbrook Meadows? Public parks usually need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
Here we cover the SE9, SE12 and BR1 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. We can cater an event on streets such as Horley Road, Dorset Road and Albert Road. If your venue is just outside Mottingham, we also cover Chinbrook (1 mile south-west), Grove Park (1 mile west), Coldharbour (1 mile east), Middle Park (1 mile north) and Horn Park (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (7 miles north-west), City of Westminster (10 miles north-west), Marylebone (10 miles north-west), Kensington (11 miles north-west), St Pancras (9 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (8 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Prefab Museum (1.7 miles west) and Greenwich Castle (3.5 miles north-west). Open spaces near Mottingham include Summer Hill and The Tarn.
- Local schools include Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy (0.9 miles south-west) and Colfe's School (1.3 miles north-west)
- Other local spots include Municipal Borough of Bromley (2.5 miles south)
Prices and what affects them
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Waiting and bar staff
- The paellas you choose
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Timings and hours
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Getting an accurate quote
These details help us quote quickly:
- The courses you’d like
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The date and rough timings
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll come back with a clear quote.
Events we cater in Mottingham
There’s no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Mottingham and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Summer garden parties
- Retirement celebrations
Nearby historic houses include Eltham Palace (1.1 miles north-east) and Bromley Palace (2.2 miles south). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
Before booking anyone
- How late numbers can change
- A clear list of what’s included
- Space, access and power needs
- Staff numbers and hours
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Count adults and children separately
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 does not provide them.
The process
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. Evenings in Mottingham stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised 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.
Getting ready for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Get a quote
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Space, weather and the venue
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Somewhere close to park and unload
As a London location, Mottingham is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
For planners, venues and organisers
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Throwing a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Places near Mottingham
Other catering in Mottingham
- 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