East Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Northiam, East Sussex
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Northiam: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Birthday celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
Planning an event in Northiam?
How it works
Watching it cook is half the fun. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. Planning an evening event in Northiam? Sunset is around 8:45pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
How to prepare
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Get a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we are available that day.
Related guides
Paella catering in Northiam, cooked live
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. Once it’s ready, we serve it hot from the pan. We cook vegan paella, mixed paella and seafood paella, and we are regularly asked to cater weddings, from canapés to evening food and big birthdays.
For a rural spot like Northiam, the countryside is part of the appeal: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Tell us about access and the ground. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Location
- Northiam (TN31)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning live paella in Northiam
Northiam is about 9 miles north of Hastings, in East Sussex. Give us the address of your event in Northiam, and we’ll plan access and set-up before the day. Northiam is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we cook. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 28 miles away.
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Northiam Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Northiam. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cover events in every part of TN31. Local streets include Station Road, Main Street and Elizabeth Gardens; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. With the A268 close by, Northiam is simple for us to get to for your event. Nearby, we also cater events in Beckley (2 miles south-east), Beckley Furnace (3 miles south), Broad Oak (3 miles south), Flackley Ash (3 miles east) and Broadland Row (4 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Hastings (9 miles south), Bexhill-on-Sea (12 miles south-west), St Leonards (10 miles south), Hastings Old Town (10 miles south), Belmont (10 miles south) and Heathfield (15 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include The C.M Booth Collection (4 miles north). Open spaces near Northiam include Flatropers Wood.
- Nearby, you will find Hayes Arms Hotel (0.5 miles south)
Space, weather and the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
Towns and villages near Northiam
Other catering in Northiam
How we price paella catering
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The number of people
- Distance and access to the venue
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Getting an accurate quote
These details help us quote quickly:
- Anything your venue supplies
- The date and time of the event
- The venue or postcode
- Diets and allergies you know about
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Northiam? Send us the details and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, send us your details through our quote form.
Catering for every guest
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago, or serve your own cake.
Is live paella right for your event?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We will send you a quote.
Why us?
- Real theatre, not just catering
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Fast service from the pan
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Northiam: your questions answered
Do you cater in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
Is Northiam close to London?
Roughly 46 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Is paella a full meal?
It can be. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Which paellas do you recommend?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is usually the most popular, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, where your guests can watch.
Can you do sangria?
We can make sangria, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in its own pan.
Organising for someone else?
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
- 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