East Sussex · England
Live paella catering in St Leonards, East Sussex
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in St Leonards: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Live paella catering in St Leonards
Paella catering in St Leonards, cooked live
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field in and around St Leonards. For retirement celebrations and wedding breakfasts and evening food, we’ll put together a menu of seafood paella, vegan paella and black rice for your guests.
There are lots of options in a town like St Leonards: your own garden, a club or hall with outside space, or a venue nearby. We will agree the cooking spot beforehand. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it’s hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
- Location
- St Leonards (TN38, TN37, TN34)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Live paella or other catering?
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked live and served hot. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why book with us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- A clear, itemised quote
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
See Our prices page And The cost guide.
For event organisers in St Leonards
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Planning live paella in St Leonards
St Leonards is about 1 mile south-west of Hastings, in East Sussex. From the centre of St Leonards to the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. St Leonards is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we cook. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 30 miles away.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Summerfields Wood? Public parks normally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like St John the Evangelist's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The coast is within about 2 miles of St Leonards, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Anywhere in TN38, TN37 and TN34, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Streets in the area include Sea Road, Fern Road and Dane Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Being close to the A259 and A2102, St Leonards is easy for us to reach. We also cook at events in Silverhill (1 mile north), Hastings (1 mile north-east), America Ground (1 mile east), Bulverhythe (1 mile west) and Hollington (1 mile north). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (13 miles south-west), Bexhill-on-Sea (4 miles west), Hailsham (13 miles west), Polegate (13 miles west), Old Town (14 miles south-west) and Heathfield (15 miles north-west). Being one of East Sussex’s larger places, St Leonards has plenty of venues and gardens for events.
Well-known places in the area include Priory Meadow Shopping Centre (1.2 miles east) and Conquest Hospital (2.2 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Church Wood and Robsack Wood and Senlac Hill.
- Schools near St Leonards include The St Leonards Academy (0.8 miles west) and University School (0.9 miles east)
- Nearby, you’ll find Horse And Groom Public House (within half a mile south-east)
Catering for every guest
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Put allergy details in writing
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Ensure each pan is labelled
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
How the day works
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Planning an evening event in St Leonards? Sunset is around 8:45pm in late May, 9:15pm at midsummer and 7:00pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- 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.
Preparing for the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Getting a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you are ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It is generally the most photographed pan.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Occasions we cook for in St Leonards
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
Whatever you’re celebrating in St Leonards, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Naming days and family parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Summer garden parties
- Birthday celebrations
For guests coming by train, St Leonards Warrior Square station is in St Leonards itself.
Before you book anyone
- The venue requirements
- When final numbers are due
- The deposit and payment dates
- The wet-weather plan
St Leonards questions
How far is St Leonards from London?
About 53 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Could we have live paella in Summerfields Wood?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
What does paella catering cost?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Tell us your date and numbers and we’ll reply with a price.
Do you cover St Leonards?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in St Leonards and across East Sussex. Send us your date to check availability.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
Do you provide drinks?
Yes, sangria. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
What space do you need to cook?
Less than you might think: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a photo.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, on request. Proper crockery or quality disposables can be added to your booking.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
What affects the price in St Leonards
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Timings and hours
- Travel, parking and access
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- How many courses
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:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The address or venue name
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Expected numbers
Thinking about paella catering for your event in St Leonards? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, fill in our quote form.
Also near St Leonards
More for events in St Leonards
- 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