Surrey · England
Paella Catering in Stoke D'Abernon
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Stoke D'Abernon: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Retirement celebrations
Paella catering in Stoke D'Abernon
Common questions in Stoke D'Abernon
Do you cater in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
What’s the nearest station to Stoke D'Abernon for guests?
Stoke D'Abernon has its own station: Cobham & Stoke Dabernon station.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
When should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it’s short notice, it is worth asking.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
What space do you need to cook?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
How does live paella catering work?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Paella catering in Stoke D'Abernon, made fresh on the day
There’s something generous about paella: big pans, bright colours and a crispy base everyone wants a spoonful of. It makes the food an event in itself. We are frequently asked to cater staff parties and work lunches and christenings and family gatherings, with vegetable paella, vegan paella and black rice.
Somewhere as small as Stoke D'Abernon, a garden or field is often the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
Before you choose a spot
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but a few things matter:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Popular choices
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
Step by step
When the rice goes in, it is left alone. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Evenings in Stoke D'Abernon stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Give us a contact for the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Ask for a quote
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is generally served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Live paella or other catering?
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre to your event in Stoke D'Abernon. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why us?
- Events in Stoke D'Abernon and across Surrey
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Read Our pricing And The cost guide.
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Why choose paella catering in Stoke D'Abernon?
Live paella is made for outdoor events: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Stoke D'Abernon:
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Milestone birthday parties
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Parkside School, can book us as a food stall.
What to look for in a quote
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- If the price includes VAT
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
Stoke D'Abernon: venues, travel and local tips
Stoke D'Abernon is about 3 miles north-west of Leatherhead, in Surrey. For paella catering in Stoke D'Abernon, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Stoke D'Abernon. We cater in 395 places across Surrey. We cook right across the region, from Stoke D'Abernon to Guildford (about 10 miles away).
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Mary, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. For guests coming by train, Cobham & Stoke Dabernon station is in Stoke D'Abernon itself. Stoke D'Abernon is within about 6 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
This part of Surrey takes in KT11. That could mean an event in a garden on Station Road, Stoke Close and Vincent Road. If your venue is just outside Stoke D'Abernon, we also cover Cobham (1 mile north-west), Oxshott (1 mile north-east), Pachesham Park (2 miles east), West End (3 miles north) and Malden Rushett (3 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (10 miles south-west), Woking (8 miles west), Camberley (15 miles west), Epsom (5 miles east), Horley (14 miles south-east) and Redhill (11 miles south-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Epsom Cottage Hospital (3.9 miles east) and Elmbridge Museum (3.5 miles north). The countryside around Stoke D'Abernon includes Claremont Lake and Jubilee Wood.
- Local schools include St Andrew's CofE Primary School (1.2 miles north-west) and Therfield School (2.4 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Old Plough pub (under half a mile south-west)
For planners, venues and organisers
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Make sure each pan is labelled
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can enjoy your guests.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Also near Stoke D'Abernon
More for events in Stoke D'Abernon
- 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