Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Sutton Abinger, Surrey
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Sutton Abinger. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Milestone birthday parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
Paella catering in Sutton Abinger
For event organisers in Sutton Abinger
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Paella catering for your event in Sutton Abinger
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field in and around Sutton Abinger. On the menu are mixed paella, black rice and vegan paella, and typical bookings are for retirement celebrations and community events and fairs.
In a rural place like Sutton Abinger, the setting does plenty of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
Occasions we cook for in Sutton Abinger
Live paella is made for outdoor events: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
These are some of the occasions we cater in Sutton Abinger and Surrey:
- Company summer parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Milestone birthday parties
- Retirement celebrations
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St James, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Before you book anyone
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How late numbers can change
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How each diet is kept separate
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before booking.
Why Sutton Abinger hosts choose us
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Real theatre, not just catering
- We cover Sutton Abinger and the whole of Surrey
Read Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
How we price paella catering
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Parking and unloading
- Whether you need crockery
- The paellas you choose
- Waiting and bar staff
Larger events typically cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
Getting an accurate quote
To speed things up, tell us:
- The address or venue name
- Expected numbers
- The date and rough timings
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
The menu, dish by dish
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
How the day works
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up our cooking area, and get on with cooking and serving. Evenings in Sutton Abinger 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.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
How to prepare
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Give us a contact for the day
How to get a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can use our quote form.
Planning help
Sutton Abinger questions
Is Sutton Abinger too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
What’s the nearest station to Sutton Abinger for guests?
Gomshall station, about 1.4 miles north-west of the centre.
How do you work out quantities?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring all the cooking equipment. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
What happens with live paella?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook in front of your guests, and serve when you’re ready to eat.
How long does the paella take?
We get there in good time to set up. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Which paellas suit our guests?
It depends on your guests. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Is paella enough as a main?
It’s a full meal on its own. Many hosts add tapas first or dessert after.
Paella catering around Sutton Abinger
Sutton Abinger is about 5 miles south-west of Dorking, in Surrey. From the centre of Sutton Abinger to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cover all 395 towns and villages across Surrey. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 7 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Peaslake Free School, can book us as a food stall. Nearby historic houses include Hatchlands Park (4.3 miles north-west) and Polesden Lacey (4.5 miles north-east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 3 miles of Sutton Abinger, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cater events across the RH5 postcode area and the streets around it. From Hoe Lane, Annisdowne Close and Sutton Place or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. If your venue is just outside Sutton Abinger, we also cover Hoe (1 mile west), Abinger (1 mile east), Abinger Hammer (1 mile north), Gomshall (1 mile north-west) and Shere (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Guildford (7 miles north-west), Woking (10 miles north-west), Epsom (12 miles north-east), Horley (11 miles east), Redhill (12 miles east) and Ewell (13 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Mesolithic Museum (0.9 miles east) and Abinger Castle (0.9 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Combe Bottom and Silent Pool.
- Local schools include Belmont Prep School (1.3 miles south-east) and Hurtwood House (1.9 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Volunteer pub (under half a mile east)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Let us know about other food at the event
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can relax.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
Also near Sutton Abinger
Also in Sutton Abinger
- 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