Greater London · England
Paella Catering for Paddington events
Paella for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Paddington.
- Garden get-togethers
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Company summer parties
Live paella catering in Paddington
About our paella catering in Paddington
The cooking is half the fun. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the aroma does the rest. We’re frequently asked to cater engagement and anniversary parties and festivals, fairs and school events, serving vegetable paella, seafood paella and vegan paella.
Gardens in London can be narrow, but a level spot away from fences and trees is usually all we need. For an event in Paddington, tell us where we can park to unload. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it is ready.
- Where
- Paddington (W2, W1H, W1U)
- County
- Greater London
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Why live cooking beats a buffet
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Larger events normally cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Paddington
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Take a look at How we price And The cost guide.
Also near Paddington
Also in Paddington
Should I cook it myself?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Planning the cooking area
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
As a London location, Paddington is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Menu ideas
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Working with your venue
If you are organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
A closer look at the menu
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It is the pan people photograph.
Planning live paella in Paddington
Paddington is about 1 mile west of City of Westminster, in Greater London. We cater events at homes, gardens and venues in Paddington and the surrounding area. Paddington is one of 764 towns and villages in Greater London we cover.
For guests coming by train, Paddington has its own station, London Paddington station. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as International Community School, can book us as a food stall.
This part of Greater London takes in W2, W1H and W1U. Your event could be at a home on Harrow Road, Craven Road and Harbet Road or the roads around them. Main roads around Paddington include the A5 and A40, which makes travel to your event easy. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Paddington Green (1 mile north-west), Hyde Park Estate (1 mile south-east), Connaught Village (1 mile south-east), Tyburn (1 mile south-east) and Little Venice (1 mile north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as London (4 miles east), Shoreditch (4 miles east), Walthamstow (8 miles north-east), Hoxton (4 miles east), Whitechapel (4 miles east) and Ruislip (11 miles west).
Nearby you’ll also find Ladbroke Estate (1.5 miles west) and Montfichet's Tower (3.1 miles east). The countryside around Paddington includes Greville Place nature reserve and The Long Water.
- Schools near Paddington include Hampden Gurney CofE Primary School (within half a mile east) and North Westminster Community School (less than half a mile north-east)
- Pubs nearby include Fountains Abbey pub (within half a mile south)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include Royal Society of Medicine Library (1.1 miles east)
Diets, allergies and planning
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Mention any other courses or food
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
Prices and what affects them
These are the factors that matter most:
- Travel, parking and access
- How many courses
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Guest numbers
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Getting an accurate quote
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- The venue or postcode
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Which courses you have in mind
- Anything your venue supplies
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you are ready: use our quote form.
Paddington questions
What about parking in Paddington?
It can be, so tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway. We will work around it.
We’re having a ceremony at Church of St John the Evangelist: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook on the day, serving it hot from the pan.
What is live paella catering?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
How much paella per person?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
What happens if it rains?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Can you supply plates?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
What happens on the day
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. In Paddington, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Get a quote
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, use our quote form.
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