Greater London · England
Paella Catering in Shadwell
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 Shadwell.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Naming days and family parties
Book paella catering in Shadwell
Paella catering in Shadwell, cooked live
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan paellas. Every pan is cooked on its own, so diets are easy to manage. Typical bookings include wedding breakfasts and evening food and anniversary celebrations, serving seafood paella, mixed paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
In Shadwell, events range from terrace gardens to hired halls. Tell us how close we can park, and whether there are steps or narrow passages. You will know exactly what’s included before you book: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
- Area
- Shadwell (SE16, E1, E1W)
- County
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Events we cater in Shadwell
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Milestone birthday parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Leaving dos and retirements
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Paul's Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Before booking anyone
- The wet-weather plan
- The venue requirements
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
Planning the cooking area
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Somewhere close to park and unload
Shadwell is in London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking can be tight: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Popular choices
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
Step by step
Here’s how the day normally runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and we serve straight from the pan when you’re ready to eat. In Shadwell, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
How to get a price
Planning paella catering in Shadwell? Tell us what you have in mind and we will come back with ideas and a quote. Just fill in our quote form.
Read more
Shadwell questions
What about parking in Shadwell?
London parking needs planning: let us know about permits or off-street space. We’ll plan unloading around it.
Which station should guests use for Shadwell?
Wapping station, in Shadwell itself.
How long do you need on site?
We get there in good time to set up. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Do you bring everything you need?
All cooking kit comes with us. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
What does paella catering cost?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we’ll reply with a price.
How much space do you need?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
How do you work out quantities?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Accurate numbers help.
Diets, allergies and planning
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we serve when guests are ready.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Planning live paella in Shadwell
Shadwell is about 1 mile south-east of Whitechapel, in Greater London. We cater events at gardens, halls and venues around Shadwell and the surrounding area. We cater in 764 places in Greater London.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Peter Hills with St Mary's and St Paul's CofE Primary School, can book us as a food stall. For guests coming by train, Shadwell has its own station, Wapping station.
Wherever your event is in SE16, E1 and E1W, we can cook for your guests. Whether your event is on Swan Road, Thame Road and Brunel Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Shadwell is on the A101 and A126, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. If your venue is just outside Shadwell, we also cover Ratcliff (1 mile north), East End of London (1 mile north-west), Wapping (1 mile west), St George in the East (1 mile west) and Limehouse (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover City of Westminster (5 miles west), Marylebone (4 miles west), Kensington (7 miles west), St Pancras (3 miles north-west), Walthamstow (6 miles north) and Hampstead (7 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Tower of London (1.3 miles west) and Surrey Quays Shopping Centre (0.8 miles south). The countryside around Shadwell includes Lavender Pond and Tower Hill.
- Local schools include Bacon's College (under half a mile south-east) and St Mellitus College (0.6 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include Prospect of Whitby pub (less than half a mile west)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include Holy Trinity (1.2 miles north) and Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives (1.6 miles north-west)
Prices and what affects them
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Whether you need crockery
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- The paellas you choose
- Distance and access to the venue
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
What we need to know
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- The date and rough timings
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The courses you’d like
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Why choose live paella in Shadwell?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What you get with us
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- We cover Shadwell and the whole of Greater London
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Nearby places to Shadwell
What else we do in Shadwell
Working with your venue
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.
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 can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
- 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