Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Shalford, Surrey
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 Shalford.
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Family celebrations and christenings
Paella catering near Shalford
Organising for someone else?
Hosting a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
Paella catering in Shalford, made fresh on the day
You can keep it simple or build a full menu: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We will recommend what fits your event. Typical bookings include retirement and leaving parties and fairs, fêtes and festivals, with vegan paella, vegetable paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
In a small place like Shalford, events are typically in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. You will know exactly what’s included before booking: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
Questions from Shalford
Do you cater in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Could we have live paella in Shalford Mill?
Only if the landowner, usually the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
How does live paella catering work?
We set up a cooking area at your venue, cook the paella from scratch in large pans while your guests watch, and serve it straight from the pan.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Of course. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans.
Can we choose the seafood?
We’ll talk through seafood options when we plan your menu, including premium options if you want them.
A closer look at the menu
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Live paella or other catering?
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Shalford
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Sangria and bar staff available
See Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
What we need at the venue
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
What we offer
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Confirm allergies by email
- Tell us what else is being served
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we time it carefully. If plans change, tell us and we’ll adjust.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Should I cook it myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
What affects the price in Shalford
These are the factors that matter most:
- How many guests are eating
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Timings and hours
- How many staff you need
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before you book.
Details that help
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- Expected numbers
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Anything your venue supplies
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can use our quote form.
Places near Shalford
What else we do in Shalford
Live paella in Shalford: local details
Shalford is about 2 miles south of Guildford, in Surrey. For an event in Shalford, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. Shalford is one of 395 places in Surrey we cover.
Historic houses near Shalford include Guildford Castle (1.5 miles north) and Chilworth Manor (1.6 miles east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. For guests coming by train, Shalford has its own station, Shalford station. Shalford is within about 5 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in GU4 is planned around your venue and your guests. That could mean an event in a garden on Station Road, The Street and Kings Road or the roads around them. We also cook at events in Broadford (1 mile west), East Shalford (1 mile north-east), Peasmarsh (1 mile south-west), Artington (1 mile north-west) and Chilworth (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Woking (7 miles north), Camberley (11 miles north-west), Epsom (15 miles north-east), Farnham (10 miles west), Egham (15 miles north) and Walton-on-Thames (14 miles north-east).
A little further out are Guildford Castle (1.5 miles north) and Surrey Police Museum (1.1 miles north-west). Open spaces near Shalford include Lower Lake and Pewley Down.
- Schools near Shalford include St Catherine's School (1.1 miles south) and Broadwater School (1.5 miles south-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Queen Victoria pub (within half a mile north-west)
The process
We work to your timings. If things run behind, we hold the paella at the right stage so it’s still served fresh. Planning an evening event in Shalford? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Give us a contact for the day
Get a quote
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Shalford? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, use our quote form.
Planning help
- 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