Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Smallfield, Surrey
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Smallfield and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
Book paella catering in Smallfield
How our paella catering works in Smallfield
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. When it’s ready, it’s served straight from the pan. For weddings and evening receptions and community events and fairs, we’ll put together a menu of mixed paella, chicken and chorizo paella and paella Valenciana for your guests.
There may be a hall or club near Smallfield if your garden is small; live paella can work at any of them, given permission and outdoor space. We plan the timings around your day, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Events we cater in Smallfield
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Here are some of the events we cook for:
- Garden get-togethers
- Milestone birthday parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
For guests coming by train, Horley station is about 2 miles away.
Comparing caterers
- The venue requirements
- The wet-weather plan
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Staff numbers and hours
The process
Your timings come first. If things run behind, we hold the paella at the right stage so it’s served at its best. In Smallfield, 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. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Get a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Related guides
DIY paella versus live catering
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
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.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together, for guests who want a bit of everything.
Planners, venues and businesses
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Live paella or other catering?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why Smallfield hosts choose us
- Fast service from the pan
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Catering across Surrey, including Smallfield
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
Take a look at Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
Live paella in Smallfield: local details
Smallfield is about 2 miles east of Horley, in Surrey. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Smallfield and the surrounding area. We cover all 395 towns and villages in Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Smallfield to Guildford (20 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Burstow Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Here we cover the RH6 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Streets in the area include Churchill Road, Orchard Road and Tudor Close, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Nearby, we also cater events in Outwood (1 mile north), Burstow (1 mile south-west), Keeper's Corner (1 mile south), Fernhill (2 miles south-west) and Shipley Bridge (2 miles south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Epsom (13 miles north-west), Redhill (5 miles north-west), Ewell (14 miles north-west), Reigate (6 miles north-west), Caterham (8 miles north) and Dorking (10 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Bletchingley Castle (4.5 miles north) and Effingham Park Motor Museum (2.5 miles south-east). Open spaces near Smallfield include Hedgecourt Lake.
- Nearby schools include Oakwood School (1.7 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include Plough and Furrow pub (less than half a mile east)
Common questions in Smallfield
Is Smallfield close to London?
About 23 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Which station should guests use for Smallfield?
The closest is Horley station, roughly 2 miles away.
How much is live paella catering?
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. Tell us your date and numbers and we will reply with a price.
How do you work out quantities?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Can you cater for children?
Children are welcome. Let us know numbers and ages, and we will plan for them.
Where do you cater?
We cover London and the South East, including Surrey. See all areas.
Do you provide drinks?
Yes, sangria. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
What happens if it rains?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Catering for every guest
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Ask for labels on each pan
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.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Space, weather and the venue
If a space isn’t suitable, we will tell you, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
Nearby places to Smallfield
What else we do in Smallfield
- 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