West Sussex · England
Paella Catering for Saddlescombe events
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Saddlescombe and the surrounding area.
- Retirement celebrations
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Christenings and family gatherings
Paella catering in Saddlescombe
Paella catering in Saddlescombe, cooked live
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is what we bring to events in Saddlescombe. On the menu are black rice, vegetable paella and seafood paella, and we are regularly asked to cater retirement and leaving parties and garden get-togethers.
In a small place like Saddlescombe, events are generally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Location
- Saddlescombe (BN45)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Planners, venues and businesses
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Saddlescombe? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll talk you through the process. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think.
What we offer
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
What paella catering costs
The price comes down to a few factors:
- How many guests are eating
- Your choice of paellas
- Timings and hours
- How many staff you need
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
What to tell us
To speed things up, tell us:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The date and time of the event
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Saddlescombe questions
We’re having a ceremony at The Church of the Holy Trinity: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Which station should guests use for Saddlescombe?
Hassocks station, about 3.2 miles north-east of the centre.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
Which paellas do you recommend?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is generally the most popular, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
What happens if it rains?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
How many different paellas?
Two or three covers most guests. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
How the day works
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. Planning an evening event in Saddlescombe? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area 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.
How to prepare
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Live paella in Saddlescombe: local details
Saddlescombe is about 4 miles north of Brighton and Hove, in West Sussex. We bring paella catering to homes, gardens and venues in Saddlescombe and the surrounding area. We cook in all 371 towns and villages in West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages.
Nearby historic houses include Portslade Manor (3.3 miles south) and Preston Manor & Gardens (3.7 miles south-east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like The Church of the Holy Trinity, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Saddlescombe is within about 5 miles of the South Downs National Park, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking. The coast is within about 6 miles of Saddlescombe, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Paella catering in BN45 is planned around your venue and your guests. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Pyecombe (1 mile north-east), Waterhall (2 miles south-east), Westdene (2 miles south-east), Patcham (3 miles south-east) and West Blatchington (3 miles south). We also cook in nearby towns such as Crawley (15 miles north), Horsham (13 miles north-west), Worthing (10 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (9 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (6 miles north-east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (5 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Montefiore Hospital (4.3 miles south-east) and Clayton Castle (2.5 miles north-east). The countryside around Saddlescombe includes Wolstonbury Hill and Ladies Mile.
- Nearby, you will find Royal Oak pub (0.7 miles north-west)
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Diets, allergies and planning
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Count adults and children separately
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we time it carefully. If plans change, tell us and we will adjust.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Nearby places to Saddlescombe
What else we do in Saddlescombe
Paella compared with other options
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain to your event in Saddlescombe. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What you get with us
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- No hidden extras in your quote
About the dishes
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
- 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