Surrey · England
Paella Catering for Shortheath events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Shortheath: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, in full view of your guests.
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
Paella catering for Shortheath events
How our paella catering works in Shortheath
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields. Whether it is anniversary celebrations and company summer parties, we will put together a menu of mixed paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella for your guests.
In a rural place like Shortheath, the setting does a lot of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Tell us about access and the ground. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served as soon as it’s ready.
How it works
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, and we agree where that is before the day. Planning an evening event in Shortheath? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Ask for a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning help
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Planners, venues and businesses
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.
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
Prices and what affects them
The price comes down to a few factors:
- How many guests are eating
- How many staff you need
- Travel, parking and access
- The length of service
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
What we need to know
These details help us quote quickly:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Your date and when you want to eat
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The venue or postcode
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Live paella in Shortheath: local details
Shortheath is about 1 mile south-west of Farnham, in Surrey. Give us the address of your event in Shortheath, and we will plan the journey and set-up. We cook in all 395 towns and villages across Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Shortheath to Guildford (11 miles away).
Historic houses near Shortheath include Farnham Castle (1.6 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. For guests coming by train, Farnham station is about 1.3 miles away. Shortheath is within about 7 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Wherever your event is in GU9 and GU10, we can bring paella catering to you. Local streets include Shortheath Road, Little Thurbans Close and Sunnydell Lane; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Shortheath sits on or near the B3384, which makes travel to your event easy. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Wrecclesham (1 mile west), Boundstone (1 mile south), Rowledge (1 mile south-west), Holt Pound (1 mile south-west) and Bucks Horn Oak (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cater in Guildford (11 miles east), Woking (13 miles north-east), Camberley (10 miles north), Frimley (9 miles north-east), Haslemere (8 miles south-east) and Cranleigh (15 miles east).
A little further out are Farnham Castle (1.6 miles north) and Museum of Farnham (1.2 miles north). Not far away are Aunt's Pool and Farnham Heath.
- Schools near Shortheath include Weydon School (0.5 miles north-west) and Weydon School (0.5 miles north-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Royal Oak Public House (0.5 miles west)
Perfect for your event in Shortheath
Live paella is made for outdoor events: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Shortheath:
- Birthday celebrations
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St Peter's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Before booking anyone
- Travel and parking costs
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- If the price includes VAT
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It is frequently the most popular pan at an event.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, finished with lemon wedges. It’s the pan people photograph.
Why choose live paella in Shortheath?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why book with us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- We cover Shortheath and the whole of Surrey
Read Our prices page Or The cost guide.
Also near Shortheath
Other catering in Shortheath
Questions from Shortheath
How far is Shortheath from London?
About 37 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
We are having a ceremony at St Peter's Church: 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 typically elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance so the paella is ready when you want it.
What do you need at the venue?
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.
Can you cook in the rain?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
If you need them, yes. Proper crockery or quality disposables are available.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes. Children often love a simple chicken paella. Tell us how many are coming.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
- 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