Greater London · England
Paella Catering in South Croydon
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in South Croydon: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Paella catering for South Croydon events
Planners, venues and businesses
Hosting a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
About our paella catering in South Croydon
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That is what we bring to events in South Croydon. Whether it is weddings, from canapés to evening food and garden parties and summer barbecues, we can cook chicken and chorizo paella, seafood paella and mixed paella.
London gardens are often long and narrow, but a level spot away from fences and trees is usually all we need. In South Croydon, the bigger question is parking near the house or venue. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Area
- South Croydon (CR2, CR8, CR0)
- Area hub
- Greater London
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Should I cook it myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
Your questions about paella catering in South Croydon
Which station should guests use for South Croydon?
South Croydon has its own station: Sanderstead station.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Augustine?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Will there be enough food?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan a pan with them in mind.
Can you provide dessert?
We do. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices.
Can you cook in the rain?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll make a plan B with you.
Which paellas suit our guests?
Most events choose two or three: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. See the sample menu.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, where your guests can watch.
Places near South Croydon
Other catering in South Croydon
Paella compared with other options
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What you get with us
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Catering across Greater London, including South Croydon
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
How we price paella catering
There is nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Distance and access to the venue
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What we need to know
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Where the event is
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A photo of the space, if you can
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.
How it works
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell usually draws people over. In South Croydon, 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. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
How to prepare
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
How to get a price
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
Read more
Diets, allergies and planning
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can enjoy your guests.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
Who books paella catering in South Croydon?
It needs no kitchen, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Whatever you are celebrating in South Croydon, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Company summer parties
- Summer garden parties
- Community events and fairs
- Family celebrations and christenings
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Augustine, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Questions to ask before booking
- When payment is due
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- How late numbers can change
Paella catering around South Croydon
South Croydon is about 1 mile south of Croydon, in Greater London. We cater events at homes, gardens and venues in South Croydon and the surrounding area. South Croydon is one of 764 towns and villages in Greater London where we cook. Our events stretch from South Croydon to London (10 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Purley Oaks Primary School, can book us as a food stall. For guests coming by train, Sanderstead station is in South Croydon itself.
We cook at events all over the CR2, CR8 and CR0 postcode area and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Edgar Road, Bynes Road and Grange Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Croydon (1 mile north), Coombe (1 mile north-east), Sanderstead (1 mile south-east), Riddlesdown (2 miles south) and Selsdon (2 miles east). Further out, we also cater in London (10 miles north), City of Westminster (11 miles north), Marylebone (12 miles north), Kensington (11 miles north-west), St Pancras (12 miles north) and Shoreditch (12 miles north).
Nearby you’ll also find St George's Walk (1.4 miles north) and Purley War Memorial Hospital (1.2 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Roundshaw Downs and Duppas Hill.
- Schools near South Croydon include Harris Academy Purley (0.6 miles west) and Rutherford School (0.8 miles north-east)
- Local pubs include The Purley Arms (under half a mile south-west)
- Local facilities include County Borough of Croydon (1.3 miles north)
- 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