Greater London · England
Paella Catering in Soho
Paella for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Soho.
- Retirement celebrations
- Garden get-togethers
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Paella catering near Soho
How the day works
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell typically draws people over. In Soho, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Have a level space ready for the pans
Ask for a quote
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.
Planning help
Paella catering in Soho, made fresh on the day
One cooking area feeds a lot of people, there’s very little waste, and the food arrives hot. That’s why it works for so many events. We are often asked to cater retirement celebrations and garden parties and summer barbecues, with vegetable paella, chicken and chorizo paella and black rice.
In a London neighbourhood like Soho, the cooking spot is normally a back garden, a courtyard or a venue’s terrace. Parking and loading are the main things to plan, so let us know about parking permits or a driveway. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras.
- Location
- Soho (W1F, W1T, W1D)
- County
- Greater London
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
DIY paella versus live catering
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.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Soho: your questions answered
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Anne's Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
What’s the nearest station to Soho for guests?
Soho has its own station: Tottenham Court Road station.
Can you cook in the rain?
Rain doesn’t stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so contact us early.
What about pudding?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
What seafood can we have?
Tell us your preferences and we’ll suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
How do you work out quantities?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
Other catering in Soho
Live paella or other catering?
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, so everyone can eat at the same time. Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
Why book with us
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Events in Soho and across Greater London
- Drinks service on request
- Real theatre, not just catering
Read Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
Planners, venues and businesses
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
What paella catering costs
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Timings and hours
- How many staff you need
- The number of people
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
What we need to know
These details help us quote quickly:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Which courses you have in mind
- A photo of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can use our quote form.
Catering an event in Soho
Soho is about 1 mile east of City of Westminster, in Greater London. From the centre of Soho to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cater in all 764 towns and villages in Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages.
Parks such as St Anne's Churchyard normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Nearby historic houses include Benjamin Franklin House (0.5 miles south-east) and Burlington House (0.5 miles south-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
We cater events across W1F, W1T and W1D and the streets around it. Whether your event is on Duck Lane, Drury Lane and Bridle Lane or a nearby road, we can cook there. Soho sits on or near the A4 and A301, so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. Other places close to Soho for paella catering include West End (1 mile east), Chinatown (1 mile south), Seven Dials (1 mile east), St Giles (1 mile north-east) and St James's (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include Kensington (3 miles west), Walthamstow (7 miles north-east), Whitechapel (3 miles east), Hampstead (3 miles north-west), Ruislip (13 miles west) and Stockwell (3 miles south).
A little further out are Montfichet's Tower (1.3 miles east) and Westminster St James (less than half a mile south-west). Not far away are St. James's Park Lake and Ludgate Hill.
- Schools near Soho include LITE Regal International School (0.6 miles west) and Harris Westminster Sixth Form (0.9 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include Bar Soho (under half a mile north)
- Local facilities include London Library (0.5 miles south-west)
Planning for every diet
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we serve when guests are ready.
Sangria and bar staff can be added for your own drinks.
Perfect for your event in Soho
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, thanks to separate pans for each version. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Soho book us for occasions like:
- Garden get-togethers
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
For guests coming by train, Soho has its own station, Tottenham Court Road station.
What your quote should include
- The venue requirements
- Travel and parking costs
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Staff numbers and hours
What we need at the venue
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
As a London location, Soho is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
Menu ideas
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- 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