East Sussex · England
Paella Catering for Old Heathfield events
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 for events in Old Heathfield.
- Big birthdays
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Company summer parties
Book paella catering in Old Heathfield
Paella catering for your event in Old Heathfield
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We cook paella Valenciana, vegan paella and vegetable paella, and typical bookings are for retirement celebrations and christenings and family gatherings.
In a rural place like Old Heathfield, the setting does plenty of the work: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- Old Heathfield (TN21)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Paella compared with other options
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. It’s served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Why Old Heathfield hosts choose us
- Drinks service on request
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
For event organisers in Old Heathfield
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Nearby places to Old Heathfield
More for events in Old Heathfield
Perfect for your event in Old Heathfield
Live paella is food and a show in one. The pans become a focal point, and the food is hot and generous.
Here are some of the events we cook for in Old Heathfield and East Sussex:
- Retirement celebrations
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Naming days and family parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Historic houses near Old Heathfield include Bateman's (4.9 miles north-east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
Before you book anyone
- Travel and parking costs
- Space, access and power needs
- Allergen information for each dish
- Staff numbers and hours
Your questions about paella catering in Old Heathfield
We are having a ceremony at The Parish Church of All Saints: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Is Old Heathfield close to London?
Roughly 40 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
What does paella catering cost?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we’ll send a quote.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a photo.
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.
Can you cook in the rain?
We cook under cover, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We’ll agree a wet-weather plan with you.
About the dishes
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a paella that stands on its own. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together.
Planning the cooking area
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think.
On the menu in Old Heathfield
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
Old Heathfield: venues, travel and local tips
Old Heathfield is about 7 miles north of Hailsham, in East Sussex. Tell us where your event in Old Heathfield will be, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. We cater in all 289 towns and villages in East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 20 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Heathfield Community College, can book us as a food stall. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like The Parish Church of All Saints, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Old Heathfield is within about 5 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Paella catering in TN21 is planned around your venue. Streets in the area include School Hill and Church Street, and we can cook for an event on any of them. If your venue is just outside Old Heathfield, we also cover Cade Street (1 mile north), Sandy Cross (1 mile west), Heathfield (1 mile west), Broad Oak (1 mile north) and Warbleton (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (12 miles south), Hastings (14 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (11 miles south-east), Seaford (15 miles south-west), Lewes (13 miles south-west) and Hailsham (7 miles south).
Well-known places in the area include Hellingly Hospital (5 miles south) and Old Castle (3.6 miles east). Not far away are Selwyns Wood.
- Nearby schools include Parkside Community Primary School (0.5 miles west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Star Inn (under half a mile south)
What affects the price in Old Heathfield
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- How long we’re needed on site
- The number of people
- Your choice of paellas
- Travel, parking and access
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
What we need to know
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- Where the event is
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A picture of the space, if you can
- The date and time of the event
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, fill in our quote form.
Catering for every guest
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
A short rest after cooking helps, which is when we generally call guests over.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
The process
We take care of the food from set-up to service, so you’re free to enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first while the paella cooks. In Old Heathfield, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Give us a contact for the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Get a quote
It is easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote.
Read more
- 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