Surrey · England
Paella Catering in Selsdon
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Selsdon. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Paella catering in Selsdon
Paella catering for your event in Selsdon
Watching it cook is part of the experience. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the smell does the rest. We’re often asked to cater weddings and evening receptions and leaving dos and retirements, with vegan paella, vegetable paella and seafood paella.
There may be a hall or club near Selsdon if your garden is small; any can work for paella, with permission and somewhere outside to cook. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
Catering for every guest
With a little notice, every diet is easy. We suggest:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Confirm allergies by email
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
For event organisers in Selsdon
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Selsdon? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
What affects the price in Selsdon
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Waiting and bar staff
- The number of people
- Travel, parking and access
- Timings and hours
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What we need to know
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- The date and rough timings
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Diets and allergies you know about
- The venue or postcode
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it is frequently the first pan to empty.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. 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.
Paella catering around Selsdon
Selsdon is about 2 miles south-east of Croydon, in Surrey. For an event in Selsdon, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. We cook in all 395 towns and villages in Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Selsdon to London (11 miles away).
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Littleheath Woods? Public parks normally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Sanderstead station, about 1.7 miles west.
For paella catering in CR2 and CR0, we plan around your venue and timings. From York Road, Byron Road and Abbey Road or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. We also cook at events in Forestdale (1 mile east), Addington (1 mile north-east), Sanderstead (1 mile south-west), Coombe (1 mile north-west) and Farleigh (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Epsom (9 miles west), Horley (13 miles south-west), Redhill (9 miles south-west), Ewell (9 miles west), Reigate (10 miles south-west) and Caterham (4 miles south).
A little further out are County Borough of Croydon (2.7 miles north-west) and Croydon Airport Visitor Centre (2.9 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Duppas Hill and Bramley Bank.
- Local schools include The Quest Academy (less than half a mile north) and Royal Russell School (1 mile north-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Sir Julian Huxley pub (less than half a mile west)
How it works
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you are free to enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. In Selsdon, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- 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
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
Get a quote
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Also near Selsdon
More for events in Selsdon
Where we can cook in Selsdon
We’ll be honest if a space will not work, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
What we offer
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and normally costs more per head. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and it is entertaining too. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why book with us
- Drinks service on request
- A quote that spells everything out
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- We cover Selsdon and the whole of Surrey
Take a look at How we price Or What paella catering costs.
Selsdon: your questions answered
We are having a ceremony at St Francis: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
What’s the nearest station to Selsdon for guests?
Sanderstead station, about 1.7 miles west of the centre.
Can you feed a lot of people?
Yes. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
Can you cook indoors?
Normally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, since the burners are gas. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Do we need to provide equipment?
Pans, burners and ingredients all come with us. You provide a suitable spot and access.
What happens with live paella?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Are premium seafood options available?
We will suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
- 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