Surrey · England
Live paella catering in Thorpe, Surrey
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Thorpe and across Surrey.
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Book paella catering in Thorpe
Paella catering for your event in Thorpe
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field in and around Thorpe. For leaving dos and retirements and milestone birthday parties, we’ll put together a menu of paella Valenciana, black rice and chicken and chorizo paella and more.
In a small place like Thorpe, events are usually in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Who books paella catering in Thorpe?
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, thanks to separate pans for each version. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Thorpe and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Birthday celebrations
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Community events and fairs
For guests coming by train, Virginia Water station is about 1.4 miles away.
Questions to ask before booking
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Should I cook it myself?
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
How we price paella catering
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Waiting and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
- The number of people
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
What to tell us
For a quote, it helps to have:
- The venue or postcode
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and rough timings
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Live paella or other catering?
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Why book with us
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Catering across Surrey, including Thorpe
- Drinks service on request
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Thorpe: your questions answered
Which station should guests use for Thorpe?
The closest is Virginia Water station, roughly 1.4 miles away.
Is Thorpe too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Which paella is most popular?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is typically the most popular, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Do you provide drinks?
Yes, sangria. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Who clears up?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
How much paella per person?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
How many paellas should we have?
Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Nearby places to Thorpe
Also in Thorpe
The process
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and it’s served hot from the pan when you are ready to eat. Around midsummer it stays light in Thorpe until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including 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.
Before we arrive
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
Ask for a quote
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Planning help
Paella catering around Thorpe
Thorpe is about 2 miles south-east of Egham, in Surrey. From the centre of Thorpe to the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cater in all 395 towns and villages across Surrey. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 11 miles away.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Nearby historic houses include Botleys Mansion (2.5 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Anywhere in TW20, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Local streets include Village Road, Western Avenue and Midway Avenue; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. With the B388 close by, Thorpe is easy for us to reach. For events just outside Thorpe, we cover Thorpe Green (1 mile south-west), Stroude (1 mile west), Egham Hythe (1 mile north), Penton Hook (1 mile east) and Virginia Water (1 mile west). Larger places within reach include Guildford (11 miles south), Woking (7 miles south), Camberley (10 miles south-west), Epsom (12 miles south-east), Ewell (13 miles east) and Walton-on-Thames (6 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Spelthorne Museum (1.9 miles north-east) and Runnymede Hospital (2.2 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Gracious Pond and Manor Lake.
- Local schools include The American School In England (within half a mile east) and The Magna Carta School (1.4 miles north)
- Pubs nearby include The Red Lion pub (less than half a mile south)
Planning for every diet
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Mention any other courses or food
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Send allergies to us in writing
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
For planners, venues and organisers
Events in public spaces, like parks, generally need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Before you choose a spot
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
Menu ideas
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- 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