West Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Thakeham, West Sussex
Something for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Thakeham.
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
Live paella catering in Thakeham
Catering an event in Thakeham
Thakeham is about 8 miles north of Worthing, in West Sussex. Anywhere in RH20, we will come to your venue or garden. We cater in 371 places in West Sussex. Our events stretch from Thakeham to Brighton (about 15 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as The Parish Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Pulborough station, about 4.1 miles west. The South Downs National Park is within about 6 miles of Thakeham, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in RH20 is planned around your venue and timings. Whether your event is on The Street, Bramble Lane and Cray's Lane or a nearby road, we can cook there. If your venue is just outside Thakeham, we also cover Abingworth (1 mile south-west), Warminghurst (1 mile south-east), Goose Green (1 mile north-east), West Chiltington (1 mile north-west) and Heath Common (1 mile south). Further out, we also cater in Crawley (15 miles north-east), Horsham (9 miles north-east), Worthing (8 miles south), Haywards Heath (15 miles east), Burgess Hill (13 miles east) and Littlehampton (10 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include The Storrington And District Museum (2.2 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Knepp Wildland and Chanctonbury Hill.
About our paella catering in Thakeham
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. On the menu are vegan paella, black rice and seafood paella, and we are often booked for weddings and evening receptions and christenings and family gatherings.
Somewhere as small as Thakeham, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
- Area
- Thakeham (RH20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Thakeham questions
Can you cook at venues in the South Downs National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll follow the site rules.
How far is Thakeham from London?
Roughly 41 miles from the centre of London.
Can we choose the seafood?
Tell us your preferences and we’ll suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
What happens with live paella?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve when you’re ready to eat.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
When do you arrive?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Who clears up?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Where we can cook in Thakeham
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Thakeham
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
Why choose live paella in Thakeham?
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
What you get with us
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Catering across West Sussex, including Thakeham
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
See Our prices page And The cost guide.
Places near Thakeham
What else we do in Thakeham
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Tell us what else is being served
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Confirm allergies by email
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Who books paella catering in Thakeham?
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
In Thakeham and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Staff parties and work lunches
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Rydon Community College, can book us as a food stall.
Before you book anyone
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How long the team stays
- Travel and parking costs
- Space, access and power needs
The process
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Around midsummer it stays light in Thakeham until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
How to prepare
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Give us your final numbers and diets
How to get a price
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Thakeham? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. To contact us, fill in our quote form.
Read more
What affects the price in Thakeham
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- How long we are needed on site
- Your choice of paellas
- Distance and access to the venue
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Details that help
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- Anything your venue supplies
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, use our quote form.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
What’s in the pans
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
- 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