Greater London · England
Paella Catering in North Ockendon
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in North Ockendon. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Company summer parties
Planning an event in North Ockendon?
North Ockendon questions
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Mary Magdalene: can you cater afterwards?
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 usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
What’s the nearest station to North Ockendon for guests?
The closest is Ockendon station, roughly 1.5 miles away.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will talk it through before the day.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, on request. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables can be added to your booking.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and it is cooked separately.
When should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
What happens with live paella?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook in front of your guests, and serve when you are ready to eat.
Paella catering for your event in North Ockendon
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is what we bring to events in North Ockendon. Whether it’s family celebrations and christenings and retirement celebrations, we can cook vegan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and black rice for your guests.
Around North Ockendon, most London events we’re asked about are in gardens, courtyards and hired venues. The thing to plan is parking and unloading, so let us know about parking permits or a driveway. Timings are planned around your event, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Where
- North Ockendon (RM14)
- Area hub
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Dietary needs and planning tips
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Why choose live paella in North Ockendon?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why book with us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Read How we price And What paella catering costs.
Why choose paella catering in North Ockendon?
It is ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Big birthdays
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Company summer parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like The James Oglethorpe Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- What the price includes, item by item
Also near North Ockendon
Other catering in North Ockendon
What paella catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Timings and hours
- Waiting and bar staff
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Getting an accurate quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- A photo of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- The date and time of the event
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning the cooking area
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
As a London location, North Ockendon is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Planning live paella in North Ockendon
North Ockendon is about 3 miles east of Hornchurch, in Greater London. Give us the address of your event in North Ockendon, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up. North Ockendon is one of 764 towns and villages in Greater London where we cook. Our nearest city page is London, about 17 miles away.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary Magdalene, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Historic houses near North Ockendon include Hare Hall (4.5 miles north-west) and Rainham Hall (4.5 miles south-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Wherever your event is in RM14, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. We also cook at events in Puddle Dock (1 mile north), Cranham (2 miles north-west), Upminster (2 miles north-west), Upminster Bridge (2 miles north-west) and Hacton (3 miles west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Walthamstow (14 miles west), Whitechapel (15 miles west), Orpington (14 miles south-west), Plaistow (11 miles west), Leyton (13 miles west) and New Cross (15 miles west).
A little further out are Upminster Tithe Barn Museum of Nostalgia (2.1 miles north-west) and St George's Hospital (3 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Cranham Marsh.
- Nearby schools include Eastbrook School (1.5 miles north-west)
Working with your venue
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
The process
Service is quick: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so large groups are fed quickly. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. In North Ockendon, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:50pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- It starts with your date, venue, 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.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Getting a price
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we will make suggestions. Start when you are ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
- 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