East Sussex · England
Paella Catering for South Chailey events
Paella for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in South Chailey.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Company summer parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Book paella catering in South Chailey
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is typically served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, not seafood. It’s often the most popular pan at an event.
Paella catering for your event in South Chailey
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the aroma does the rest. For leaving dos and retirements and birthday celebrations, we can cook vegan paella, seafood paella and paella Valenciana.
In a rural place like South Chailey, 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. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan.
- Where
- South Chailey (BN8)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
What happens on the day
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Evenings in South Chailey stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Preparing for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Getting a price
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will put together a menu and price.
Planning help
Planning the cooking area
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space when you contact us. In general, we need:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
On the menu in South Chailey
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Diets, allergies and planning
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
Paella is best eaten as soon as it is ready, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Nearby places to South Chailey
What else we do in South Chailey
What paella catering costs
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Your choice of paellas
- Guest numbers
- Timings and hours
- Whether you need crockery
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
Getting an accurate quote
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and time of the event
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Who books paella catering in South Chailey?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Birthday celebrations
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Garden get-togethers
- Staff parties and work lunches
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Chailey School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What your quote should include
- The wet-weather plan
- Whether travel is included
- Allergen information for each dish
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Planning live paella in South Chailey
South Chailey is about 4 miles north of Lewes, in East Sussex. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in South Chailey. South Chailey is one of 289 towns and villages in East Sussex where we cook. Our events stretch from South Chailey to Brighton (about 9 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Plumpton station, about 1.7 miles south-west. Historic houses near South Chailey include Anne of Cleves House (5 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The South Downs National Park is within about 5 miles of South Chailey, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cook at events all over BN8. Your event could be at a home on Mill Brooks, Whitegates Close and Brickyard Lane. Neighbouring places where we cater events include South Street (1 mile north), Chiltington (1 mile south), Chailey (2 miles north-east), East Chiltington (2 miles south-west) and Plumpton Green (2 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Seaford (13 miles south-east), Lewes (4 miles south), Hailsham (13 miles south-east), Crowborough (11 miles north-east), Uckfield (6 miles east) and Newhaven (11 miles south).
A little further out are Lewes Castle (4.8 miles south) and Lewes Victoria Hospital (4.5 miles south). Open spaces near South Chailey include Blackcap and Malling Down.
- Local pubs include Swan Public House (within half a mile south-east)
Working with your venue
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Questions from South Chailey
Which station should guests use for South Chailey?
The closest is Plumpton station, roughly 1.7 miles away.
Is South Chailey close to London?
About 39 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Do you cater in South Chailey?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in South Chailey and across East Sussex. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
Can you feed plenty of people?
Yes, that’s what it is made for. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
What areas do you cover?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
What if the weather’s bad?
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.
How does live paella catering work?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook in front of your guests, and serve at the time you want.
Who clears up?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
- 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