West Sussex · England
Paella Catering for Sharpthorne events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Sharpthorne: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Milestone birthday parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
Paella catering for Sharpthorne events
For planners, venues and organisers
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
Paella catering in Sharpthorne, made fresh on the day
There is something generous about paella: big pans, bright colours and a crispy base everyone wants a spoonful of. It makes the food an event in itself. Whether it is naming days and family parties and retirement and leaving parties, we can cook mixed paella, vegan paella and seafood paella.
Somewhere like Sharpthorne, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
- Location
- Sharpthorne (RH19)
- County
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
What paella catering costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Parking and unloading
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many courses
- Waiting and bar staff
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What to tell us
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Which courses you have in mind
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, use our quote form.
Catering for every guest
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
DIY paella versus live catering
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Questions from Sharpthorne
Do you come out to small places like Sharpthorne?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Which station should guests use for Sharpthorne?
East Grinstead station, about 3.6 miles north of the centre.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan for them.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will help you decide the split.
Where we can cook in Sharpthorne
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
Menu ideas
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
Places near Sharpthorne
Other catering in Sharpthorne
Planning live paella in Sharpthorne
Sharpthorne is about 4 miles south of East Grinstead, in West Sussex. Whether your event is in the middle of Sharpthorne or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cover 371 places in West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 17 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is East Grinstead station, about 3.6 miles north. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as West Hoathly CofE Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Sharpthorne is within about 4 miles of the High Weald National Landscape. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the RH19 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. That could mean an event in a garden on Station Road, Marlpit Road and Bayhams Field or the roads around them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include West Hoathly (1 mile west), Highbrook (2 miles south), Selsfield Common (2 miles north-west), Little London (2 miles south-west) and Birchgrove (3 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (7 miles west), Horsham (12 miles west), Haywards Heath (6 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (9 miles south-west), East Grinstead (4 miles north) and Broadfield (7 miles west).
A little further out are Waterbury Castle (2.6 miles south) and East Grinstead Museum (3.7 miles north-east). Not far away are Hedgecourt Lake.
- Nearby, you will find The Fox pub (within half a mile west)
Why choose live paella in Sharpthorne?
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain to your event in Sharpthorne. Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Why us?
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Drinks service on request
- A quote that spells everything out
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
What happens on the day
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell usually draws people over. In Sharpthorne, 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.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Before we arrive
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
Getting a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can send us your details through 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