West Sussex · England
Live paella catering in South Ambersham, West Sussex
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in South Ambersham.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Community events and fairs
- Birthday celebrations
Planning an event in South Ambersham?
Paella catering in South Ambersham, made fresh on the day
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. For christenings and family gatherings and community events and fairs, we’ll put together a menu of black rice, paella Valenciana and vegetable paella for your guests.
In a small place like South Ambersham, events are usually in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
- Where
- South Ambersham (GU29)
- County
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
A closer look at the menu
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it is frequently the first pan to empty.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Catering an event in South Ambersham
South Ambersham is about 10 miles north of Chichester, in West Sussex. Tell us where your event in South Ambersham will be, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. South Ambersham is one of 371 places in West Sussex where we cook. Our nearest city page is Guildford, about 19 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Cowdray House (1.7 miles north-west) and Petworth House (3.8 miles east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St James, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. South Ambersham is within about 2 miles of the South Downs National Park, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cater events across the GU29 postcode area and the streets around it. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Selham (1 mile east), Graffham (2 miles south), River (2 miles north-east), Upperton (3 miles north-east) and Tillington (3 miles east). Further out, we also cater in Bognor Regis (13 miles south), Chichester (10 miles south), Littlehampton (14 miles south-east), Emsworth (14 miles south-west), Rustington (14 miles south-east) and Storrington (11 miles east).
Nearby you’ll also find Midhurst Community Hospital (2 miles north-west) and Lodsworth Castle (1.1 miles east). The countryside around South Ambersham includes Graffham Common and Levin Down.
Before you choose a spot
We will be honest if a space will not work, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Menu ideas
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
Dietary needs and planning tips
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Confirm allergies by email
- Ask for labels on each pan
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal.
Places near South Ambersham
Other catering in South Ambersham
What affects the price in South Ambersham
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- The length of service
- Distance and access to the venue
- Whether you need crockery
- Your choice of paellas
The cost per head normally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
What to tell us
To speed things up, tell us:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Expected numbers
- Diets and allergies you know about
- The date and rough timings
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Questions from South Ambersham
Is South Ambersham too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Is South Ambersham close to London?
About 44 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Do you do desserts?
We do. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices, or you can serve your own cake.
What seafood can we have?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Can you feed plenty of people?
Yes, that is what it is made for. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
Can you cook halal paella?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and we will cook a separate pan.
Is it really cooked live?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook on the day, serving it hot from the pan.
Why choose live paella in South Ambersham?
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why South Ambersham hosts choose us
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- A quote that spells everything out
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
Read Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Step by step
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you are free to enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. Planning an evening event in South Ambersham? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
How to prepare
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Have a level space ready for the pans
Getting a price
Thinking about paella catering for your event in South Ambersham? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To get in touch, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Events we cater in South Ambersham
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in South Ambersham book us for occasions like:
- Community events and fairs
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Summer garden parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Midhurst Rother College, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Comparing caterers
- Whether VAT is included
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- The deposit and payment dates
- How long the team stays
DIY paella versus live catering
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
- 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