East Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Rye Foreign, East Sussex
Paella for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Rye Foreign.
- Naming days and family parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Leaving dos and retirements
Paella catering near Rye Foreign
Paella catering for your event in Rye Foreign
A couple of different pans covers everyone: meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan paellas. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. Whether it is weddings, from canapés to evening food and retirement and leaving parties, we can cook vegan paella, seafood paella and mixed paella and more.
In a small place like Rye Foreign, events are normally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We serve straight from the pan, so it’s hot and generous, and service is quick once it is ready.
- Where
- Rye Foreign (TN31)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Space, weather and the venue
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Rye Foreign
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Rye Foreign: venues, travel and local tips
Rye Foreign is about 9 miles north-east of Hastings, in East Sussex. Anywhere in TN31, we can bring the pans to you. We cover 289 places in East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Rye Foreign to Canterbury (about 27 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Lamb House (1.9 miles south-east) and Smallhythe Place (4.7 miles north). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Peasmarsh Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall. The coast is within about 2 miles of Rye Foreign, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Anywhere in TN31, we can bring paella catering to you. Other places close to Rye Foreign for paella catering include Iden (1 mile north-east), Playden (1 mile east), Houghton Green (2 miles east), Rye (2 miles south-east) and East Guldeford (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Hastings (9 miles south-west), Bexhill-on-Sea (13 miles south-west), St Leonards (10 miles south-west), Hastings Old Town (9 miles south-west), Belmont (9 miles south-west) and Hollington (9 miles south-west).
Well-known places in the area include Rye Castle Museum (East Street) (1.9 miles south-east) and Ypres Tower (2 miles south-east). The countryside around Rye Foreign includes Flatropers Wood.
- Local schools include Rye College (1.6 miles south-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Horse And Cart Inn (0.5 miles west)
Rye Foreign questions
Is Rye Foreign too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
How many different paellas?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring all the cooking equipment. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
Can you cook indoors?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, because we use gas burners. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Do you do desserts?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind when you ask for a quote.
Which paellas do you recommend?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Also near Rye Foreign
More for events in Rye Foreign
Planners, venues and businesses
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Is live paella right for your event?
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, because each paella has its own pan. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What you get with us
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- We cover Rye Foreign and the whole of East Sussex
Take a look at Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Put allergy details in writing
- Count adults and children separately
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
Paella is best eaten as soon as it is ready, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
The menu, dish by dish
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is usually served with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
How it works
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. Around midsummer it stays light in Rye Foreign until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
How to prepare
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Get a quote
Send us the date, your venue or TN31 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, use our quote form.
Related guides
Occasions we cook for in Rye Foreign
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Garden get-togethers
For guests coming by train, Rye station is about 1.7 miles away.
Questions to ask before you book
- The deposit and payment dates
- How bad weather is handled
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- 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