Surrey · England
Paella Catering in Shackleford
Something 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 Shackleford.
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Birthday celebrations
Paella catering in Shackleford
A closer look at the menu
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It is a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
About our paella catering in Shackleford
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. Whether it’s staff parties and work lunches and weddings and evening receptions, we can cook vegetable paella, black rice and paella Valenciana for your guests.
In a hamlet or village like Shackleford, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated.
How we price paella catering
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Your choice of paellas
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The number of people
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Details that help
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The courses you’d like
- Anything your venue supplies
- The date and time of the event
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.
Occasions we cook for in Shackleford
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, thanks to separate pans for each version. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Here are some of the events we cook for in Shackleford and Surrey:
- Community events and fairs
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Comparing caterers
- Space, access and power needs
- Allergen information for each dish
- How bad weather is handled
- How long the team stays
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
After service, we pack down our cooking area.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal, or serve your own cake.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Your questions about paella catering in Shackleford
Do you cater in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will follow the site rules.
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Mary: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Do you cook it at the event?
It is. We arrive with everything we need and cook on the day, serving it hot from the pan.
Is paella enough as a main?
It’s a full meal on its own. Many hosts add tapas first or dessert after.
How much space do you need?
Less than you might think: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a photo if you are not sure.
Do you cook inside?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
Which paella is most popular?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is typically the most popular, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
What about pudding?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.
Towns and villages near Shackleford
Other catering in Shackleford
Live paella or other catering?
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Why choose Love Paella in Shackleford
- A quote that spells everything out
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
Take a look at Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
How the day works
Your timings come first. If things run behind, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is still served fresh. Around midsummer it stays light in Shackleford until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Before we arrive
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Getting a price
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
Planning help
Planning live paella in Shackleford
Shackleford is about 5 miles south-west of Guildford, in Surrey. Wherever your event is in the GU8 area, we can bring the pans to you. Shackleford is one of 395 places in Surrey we cover.
Parks such as Middlebriars Wood generally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as St Mary's CofE Voluntary Controlled Infant School, can book us as a food stall. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 7 miles of Shackleford, 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.
Here we cover the GU8 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Whether your event is on The Street, Lombard Street and Chalk Lane or a nearby road, we can cook there. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Hurtmore (1 mile east), Puttenham (2 miles north), Compton (2 miles north-east), Wanborough (2 miles north) and Binscombe (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Guildford (5 miles north-east), Woking (9 miles north-east), Camberley (10 miles north), Farnham (6 miles west), Dorking (15 miles east) and Frimley (8 miles north).
A little further out are Charterhouse School Museum (1.8 miles east) and Milford Hospital (2.9 miles south-east). Not far away are Farncombe Wood and Hog's Back.
- Nearby schools include Prior's Field School (0.8 miles north-east)
- Local facilities include Seale and Tongham (3 miles north-west)
Working with your venue
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Organising a club, school or community event in Shackleford? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
- 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