Greater London · England
Paella Catering for Riddlesdown events
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Riddlesdown.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Family celebrations and christenings
Paella catering near Riddlesdown
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
As a London location, Riddlesdown 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 picture and we will tell you honestly.
What we offer
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
About our paella catering in Riddlesdown
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Each is cooked separately. For staff parties and work lunches and anniversaries and engagement parties, we will put together a menu of black rice, mixed paella and paella Valenciana for your guests.
From a terraced garden to a hired hall, events in Riddlesdown come in all shapes. Let us know where we can stop to unload, and whether there are steps or narrow passages. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Where
- Riddlesdown (CR8, CR2)
- County
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Live paella or other catering?
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why us?
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Take a look at Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
Riddlesdown: your questions answered
Is parking a problem for events in Riddlesdown?
It can be, so tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway. We will work around it.
Which station should guests use for Riddlesdown?
Riddlesdown station, in Riddlesdown itself.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will help you decide the split.
Which paellas do you recommend?
Two or three is usual: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
How long do you need on site?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
When should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so contact us early.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You just need a suitable spot and access.
Places near Riddlesdown
More for events in Riddlesdown
Catering an event in Riddlesdown
Riddlesdown is about 1 mile east of Purley, in Greater London. From the centre of Riddlesdown to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cover all 764 towns and villages across Greater London. We cook right across the region, from Riddlesdown to London (12 miles away).
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Harris Primary Academy Kenley, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Dollypers Hill? Public parks usually need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
We cater events across CR8 and CR2. Local streets include Hyde Road, Lower Road and Famet Avenue; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. With the A22 close by, Riddlesdown is simple for us to get to for your event. We also cook at events in Kenley (1 mile south), Sanderstead (1 mile north-east), South Croydon (2 miles north), Hamsey Green (2 miles south-east) and Whyteleafe (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover London (12 miles north), City of Westminster (13 miles north), Marylebone (13 miles north), Kensington (13 miles north), St Pancras (14 miles north) and Shoreditch (13 miles north).
A little further out are Purley War Memorial Hospital (1 mile north-west) and St George's Walk (2.9 miles north). Not far away are Duppas Hill and Foxley Wood.
- Schools near Riddlesdown include Riddlesdown Collegiate (0.5 miles south-east)
- Other local spots include County Borough of Croydon (2.8 miles north)
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is normally served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Planners, venues and businesses
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Occasions we cook for in Riddlesdown
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Riddlesdown and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Community events and fairs
- Milestone birthday parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Garden get-togethers
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St Edmund's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Comparing caterers
- The deposit and payment dates
- Allergen information for each dish
- Whether travel is included
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
What affects the price in Riddlesdown
There is nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Whether you need crockery
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Timings and hours
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
What to tell us
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- What the venue already provides
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Which courses you have in mind
- Diets and allergies you know about
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote.
What happens on the day
On the day, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. Around midsummer it stays light in Riddlesdown until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- 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
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Read more
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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.
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.
- 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