West Sussex · England
Paella Catering for Sayers Common 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 makes the food a highlight of your event in Sayers Common.
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Garden get-togethers
Paella catering in Sayers Common
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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.
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.
About our paella catering in Sayers Common
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is what we bring to events in Sayers Common. Typical bookings include christenings and family gatherings and wedding breakfasts and evening food, with vegan paella, mixed paella and black rice.
Somewhere as small as Sayers Common, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. You’ll know exactly what’s included before you book: the menu, the staff and any extras.
- Where
- Sayers Common (BN6)
- County
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Before you choose a spot
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
Popular choices
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
Questions from Sayers Common
How far is Sayers Common from London?
Roughly 38 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Is Sayers Common too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Do we need to provide equipment?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You provide a suitable spot and access.
How many different paellas?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We’ll suggest a split based on your guests.
How do you work out quantities?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
Do you take everything away?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Are premium seafood options available?
We’ll talk through seafood options when we plan your menu.
How it works
We work to your timings. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we adjust the cooking so it is still served fresh. Around midsummer it stays light in Sayers Common 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 share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Getting a price
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: fill in our quote form.
Read more
Planning live paella in Sayers Common
Sayers Common is about 3 miles west of Burgess Hill, in West Sussex. Give us the address of your event in Sayers Common, and we’ll plan access and set-up. We cater in all 371 towns and villages in West Sussex. Our events stretch from Sayers Common to Brighton (9 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Albourne CofE Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Historic houses near Sayers Common include Ockenden Manor (4.6 miles north-east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. The South Downs National Park is within about 5 miles of Sayers Common, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cover events in every part of the BN6 postcode area. Your event could be at a home on Goldcrest Drive, Dunlop Close and Reed's Lane or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Sayers Common, we also cover Hickstead (1 mile north), Hurstpierpoint (1 mile south-east), Goddards Green (2 miles north-east), Hurst Wickham (2 miles south-east) and Jacob's Post (3 miles east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Crawley (11 miles north), Horsham (10 miles north-west), Worthing (12 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (6 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (3 miles east) and East Grinstead (15 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Clayton Castle (3.6 miles south-east) and The Dene Hospital (1.8 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Wolstonbury Hill and Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve.
- Schools near Sayers Common include St Paul's Catholic College (2.2 miles north-east)
How we price paella catering
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, because of:
- The paellas you choose
- Timings and hours
- Waiting and bar staff
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Details that help
To check availability and price, we need:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Roughly how many adults and children
- A picture of the space, if you can
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Working with your venue
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.
Events in public spaces, like parks, normally need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Why choose live paella in Sayers Common?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why book with us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- We cover Sayers Common and the whole of West Sussex
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Real theatre, not just catering
Take a look at Our prices page Or The cost guide.
What’s in the pans
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it’s often the first pan to empty.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Occasions we cook for in Sayers Common
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Whatever you are celebrating in Sayers Common, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Big birthdays
- Community events and fairs
- Naming days and family parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Christ Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
What to look for in a quote
- Staff numbers and hours
- How each diet is kept separate
- Payment terms and deposit
- Whether VAT is included
Places near Sayers Common
Also in Sayers Common
- 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