West Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Rustington, West Sussex
Planning paella catering in Rustington? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Milestone birthday parties
- Retirement celebrations
Paella catering for Rustington events
Paella catering in Rustington, cooked live
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. Whether it’s naming days and family parties and big birthdays, we can cook mixed paella, seafood paella and black rice.
There may be a hall or club near Rustington if your garden is small; any can work for paella, with permission and somewhere outside to cook. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, not reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
- Location
- Rustington (BN16, BN17)
- County
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
What affects the price in Rustington
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many courses
- Whether you need crockery
- Travel, parking and access
- The paellas you choose
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Details that help
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll come back with a clear quote.
Perfect for your event in Rustington
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Rustington and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Birthday celebrations
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Garden get-togethers
For guests coming by train, Angmering station is about 0.9 miles away.
What to look for in a quote
- VAT, if it applies
- The deposit and payment dates
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Any travel, parking or access charges
Also near Rustington
More for events in Rustington
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Before you choose a spot
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
What we offer
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
Paella catering around Rustington
Rustington is about 5 miles west of Worthing, in West Sussex. Whether your event is in the middle of Rustington or on the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Rustington is one of 371 places in West Sussex where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Rustington to Brighton (about 17 miles away).
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Rustington Community Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Nearby historic houses include Ecclesden Manor (2 miles north-east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. The South Downs National Park is within about 7 miles of Rustington. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours. Rustington is within about 2 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Here we cover the BN16 and BN17 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. From Church Road, The Street and Station Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Main roads around Rustington include the B2140, which makes travel to your event easy. We also cook at events in Littlehampton (1 mile west), Toddington (1 mile north-west), Poling (2 miles north), Wick (2 miles west) and Lyminster (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Worthing (5 miles east), Bognor Regis (8 miles west), Chichester (12 miles west), Selsey (13 miles south-west), Shoreham-by-Sea (11 miles east) and Lancing (8 miles east).
A little further out are Zachary Merton Hospital (less than half a mile south-east) and Lyminster Siege Castle (3 miles north-west). Not far away are WWT Arundel and Highdown Hill.
- Local schools include The Littlehampton Academy (1.2 miles west) and Littlehampton College (1.2 miles west)
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Paella compared with other options
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and generally costs more per head. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What you get with us
- Events in Rustington and across West Sussex
- A quote that spells everything out
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Take a look at Our prices page And The cost guide.
Working with your venue
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Common questions in Rustington
How far is Rustington from London?
Roughly 51 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you cook near the sea around Rustington?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we can plan it carefully.
Do you cover Rustington?
We do. Rustington is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a picture if you’re not sure.
What happens with live paella?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve when you are ready to eat.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
How much is live paella catering?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
What happens on the day
On the day, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. Around midsummer it stays light in Rustington until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are usually served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Name one person we can ask on the day
Getting a price
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will put together a menu and price.
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