West Sussex · England
Paella Catering for Portslade events
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Portslade and across West Sussex.
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Retirement and leaving parties
Paella catering near Portslade
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together, and it is frequently the first pan to empty.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Paella catering in Portslade, made fresh on the day
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the smell does the rest. For big birthdays and community events and fairs, we can cook chicken and chorizo paella, vegan paella and vegetable paella for your guests.
There may be a hall or club near Portslade if your garden is small; live paella can work at any of them, given permission and outdoor space. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
- Area
- Portslade (BN41, BN3, BN42)
- County
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Catering for every guest
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Ensure each pan is labelled
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal, or serve your own cake.
FAQs for Portslade
How far is Portslade from London?
About 46 miles from central London.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Nicolas Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in its own pan.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
How many different paellas?
Most events have two or three: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will help you decide the split.
Do we need to provide equipment?
All cooking kit comes with us. Tell us what the venue provides, such as tables or crockery.
Planning live paella in Portslade
Portslade is about 1 mile west of Brighton and Hove, in West Sussex. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Portslade and the surrounding area. We cover 371 places across West Sussex.
Nearby historic houses include Portslade Manor (within half a mile south-west) and Preston Manor & Gardens (2.9 miles east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Fishersgate station, about 0.7 miles south. Portslade is within about 7 miles of the South Downs National Park, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours. The coast is within about 3 miles of Portslade, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
This part of West Sussex takes in BN41, BN3 and BN42. Whether your event is on Mill Lane, Crown Road and Drove Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. You’ll find Portslade on the A293, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. Close by, we cover events in Hangleton (1 mile north-east), Southwick (1 mile south-west), Kingston by Sea (1 mile west), Shoreham-by-Sea (2 miles west) and Old Shoreham (3 miles west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Worthing (8 miles west), Haywards Heath (12 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (9 miles north-east), Littlehampton (14 miles west), Lancing (5 miles west) and Rustington (13 miles west).
Nearby you’ll also find British Engineerium (1.8 miles east) and Southlands Hospital (1.8 miles west). The countryside around Portslade includes Shoreham Beach and Thundersbarrow Hill.
- Nearby schools include King's School (within half a mile south-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Mill House (within half a mile east)
The process
Service is quick: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so large groups are fed quickly. When service is finished, we pack down. In Portslade, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally 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.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
How to prepare
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Have a level space ready for the pans
Getting a price
Send us the date, your venue or BN41 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Where we can cook in Portslade
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Level ground for the pans and burners
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Why choose paella catering in Portslade?
Live paella is made for outdoor events: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Company summer parties
- Big birthdays
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Peter Gladwin Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Comparing caterers
- The deadline for final numbers
- What the price includes, item by item
- Space, access and power needs
- Travel and parking costs
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and typically costs more per head. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
Why book with us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Catering across West Sussex, including Portslade
- Real theatre, not just catering
Nearby places to Portslade
Other catering in Portslade
How we price paella catering
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- Your choice of paellas
- Whether you need crockery
- Guest numbers
- Distance and access to the venue
The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What we need to know
To check availability and price, we need:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- What the venue already provides
- The courses you’d like
- The address or venue name
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
- 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