Surrey · England
Paella Catering for The Sands events
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in The Sands.
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Retirement and leaving parties
Planning an event in The Sands?
How our paella catering works in The Sands
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That is what we bring to events in The Sands. Typical bookings include retirement celebrations and festivals, fairs and school events, serving chicken and chorizo paella, vegan paella and vegetable paella.
Somewhere as small as The Sands, a garden or field is often the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. You’ll know exactly what’s included before you book: the menu, the staff and any extras.
Why choose live paella in The Sands?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What you get with us
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- No hidden extras in your quote
- We cover The Sands and the whole of Surrey
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Read Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
On the menu in The Sands
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Places near The Sands
Other catering in The Sands
Should I cook it myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Working with your venue
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, rather than seafood. It is a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
The Sands: your questions answered
How far is The Sands from London?
About 34 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you come out to small places like The Sands?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Which paella is most popular?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Do we need to provide equipment?
All cooking kit comes with us. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
What if the weather’s bad?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We’ll agree a wet-weather plan with you.
When should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it is short notice, it is worth asking.
Can you serve drinks?
Yes, sangria. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
How the day works
Once the rice is in, we do not 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. Planning an evening event in The Sands? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
How to prepare
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
Ask for a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Read more
Diets, allergies and planning
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Confirm allergies by email
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Tell us what else is being served
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
Catering an event in The Sands
The Sands is about 2 miles east of Farnham, in Surrey. Tell us where your event in The Sands will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up before the day. We cover 395 places across Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Guildford, about 8 miles away.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Crooksbury Hill? Public parks usually need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like South Farnham School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. The Sands is within about 7 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in GU10 is planned around your venue. Streets in the area include The Green, Binton Lane and Botany Hill, and we can cook for an event on any of them. For events just outside The Sands, we cover Runfold (1 mile west), Sandy Cross (1 mile north), Compton (1 mile west), Seale (1 mile north-east) and Tongham (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Guildford (8 miles east), Woking (10 miles north-east), Camberley (9 miles north), Frimley (7 miles north), Haslemere (9 miles south) and Cranleigh (12 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Seale and Tongham (0.9 miles north-east) and Ash Museum (2.8 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Culverswell Hill and Runfold Wood.
Events we cater in The Sands
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Anniversary celebrations
- Retirement and leaving parties
Historic houses near The Sands include Farnham Castle (2.8 miles west) and Wanborough Manor (3.6 miles north-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
What your quote should include
- Allergen information for each dish
- What happens if it rains
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- 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