Greater London · England
Paella Catering for New Addington events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in New Addington: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Garden get-togethers
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Retirement celebrations
Paella catering for New Addington events
Paella catering in New Addington, 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 is ready, it is served straight from the pan. We cook seafood paella, paella Valenciana and black rice, and we are frequently booked for community events and fairs and leaving dos and retirements.
London gardens are often long and narrow, which is fine for live paella as long as there is a level spot clear of fences and trees. In New Addington, the bigger question is parking near the house or venue. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan.
- Area
- New Addington (CR0, CR9)
- Area hub
- Greater London
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
The process
Your timings come first. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we adjust the cooking so it’s served at its best. Around midsummer it stays light in New Addington until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Have a level space ready for the pans
Ask for a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Related guides
Prices and what affects them
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Your choice of paellas
- How many staff you need
- Distance and access to the venue
- Guest numbers
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What we need to know
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Expected numbers
- What the venue already provides
- A photo of the space, if you can
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Nearby places to New Addington
Also in New Addington
Occasions we cook for in New Addington
There is no kitchen needed, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Company summer parties
- Big birthdays
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Engagement and anniversary parties
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Rowdown Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Questions to ask before booking
- A clear list of what’s included
- Whether VAT is included
- When final numbers are due
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
The menu, dish by dish
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It’s a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
FAQs for New Addington
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Edward King and Confessor?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook in Addington Vale?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
How does live paella catering work?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook in front of your guests, and serve when you are ready to eat.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
Can you cater for children?
Yes. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Tell us how many are coming.
Do we need to provide equipment?
Pans, burners and ingredients all come with us. You provide a suitable spot and access.
Do you do starters?
Yes. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
Catering for every guest
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Ask for labels on each pan
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Live paella in New Addington: local details
New Addington is about 4 miles south-east of Croydon, in Greater London. From the centre of New Addington to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cater in all 764 towns and villages across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from New Addington to London (11 miles away).
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Addington Vale? Public parks generally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. Historic houses near New Addington include Addington Palace (1.5 miles north-west) and Down House (3.1 miles east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one.
We cater events across the CR0 and CR9 postcode area and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Bothwell Road, Windham Avenue and Gascoigne Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Close by, we cover events in Forestdale (1 mile west), Fickleshole (1 mile south), Addington (1 mile north-west), Farleigh (1 mile south-west) and Selsdon (2 miles west). Further out, we also cater in London (11 miles north), City of Westminster (13 miles north-west), Marylebone (13 miles north-west), Kensington (14 miles north-west), St Pancras (13 miles north) and Shoreditch (13 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include Warlingham Park Hospital (1.8 miles south) and Bethlem Museum of the Mind (3.3 miles north-east). Open spaces near New Addington include Nore Hill and Hutchinson's Bank.
- Schools near New Addington include Meridian High School (0.9 miles south-east)
Space, weather and the venue
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
As a London location, New Addington is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Popular choices
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Why choose live paella in New Addington?
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why book with us
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Read How we price Or What paella 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