Surrey · England
Paella Catering in South Merstham
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in South Merstham: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Christenings and family gatherings
Paella catering near South Merstham
Paella catering around South Merstham
South Merstham is about 2 miles north-east of Redhill, in Surrey. Tell us where your event in South Merstham will be, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. South Merstham is one of 395 places in Surrey where we cook. Our events stretch from South Merstham to London (17 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as All Saints', a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. For guests coming by train, South Merstham has its own station, Merstham station. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 7 miles of South Merstham, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Paella catering in RH1 is planned around your venue and timings. That could mean an event in a garden on Station Road South, London Road South and Station Road or the roads around them. For events just outside South Merstham, we cover Merstham (1 mile north), Holmethorpe (1 mile south-west), Gatton (1 mile west), Nutfield (2 miles south-east) and Redhill (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cater in Epsom (7 miles north-west), Horley (6 miles south), Ewell (8 miles north-west), Reigate (3 miles south-west), Walton-on-Thames (14 miles north-west) and Caterham (3 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Bletchingley Castle (2.3 miles south-east) and The Belfry (1.7 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Colley Hill and Mercers Lake.
- Local schools include Merstham Park School (under half a mile south-east) and East Surrey College (0.8 miles south-west)
Paella catering in South Merstham, made fresh on the day
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. On the menu are chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and vegan paella, and we’re frequently booked for christenings and family gatherings and birthday celebrations.
There may be a hall or club near South Merstham if your garden is small; live paella can work at any of them, given permission and outdoor space. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
Should I cook it myself?
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. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. 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.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Why book with us
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- A clear, itemised quote
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Take a look at Our prices page And The cost guide.
Who books paella catering in South Merstham?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In South Merstham, people book us for occasions like:
- Big birthdays
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Anniversary celebrations
- Family celebrations and christenings
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Merstham Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether travel is included
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- A clear list of what’s included
FAQs for South Merstham
Could we have live paella in Nutfield Marshes?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
We are having a ceremony at All Saints': can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook on the day, then serve straight from the pan.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, Surrey included. Find your area.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Will there be enough food?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a sensible margin. Accurate numbers help.
Step by step
Service is quick: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. Planning an evening event in South Merstham? 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.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
How to prepare
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
How to get a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. Just fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Towns and villages near South Merstham
What else we do in South Merstham
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we time it carefully. If timings shift, we adapt.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago, or serve your own cake.
What affects the price in South Merstham
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Whether you need crockery
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Waiting and bar staff
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Details that help
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- Expected numbers
- The address or venue name
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Organising for someone else?
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Events in public spaces, like parks, typically need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
- 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