West Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Tilgate
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Tilgate and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Naming days and family parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Summer garden parties
Planning an event in Tilgate?
What we need at the venue
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Somewhere close to park and unload
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly.
What we offer
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
Paella catering for your event in Tilgate
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields in and around Tilgate. We cook seafood paella, paella Valenciana and black rice, and we’re regularly asked to cater milestone birthday parties and garden get-togethers.
In a smaller place like Tilgate, a garden party is often the simplest option: no venue hire, and nobody stuck cooking. Let us know about access to the house. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Location
- Tilgate (RH10, RH11)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Planners, venues and businesses
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
The process
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. Evenings in Tilgate stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Name one person we can ask on the day
Ask for a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, use our quote form.
Related guides
Catering an event in Tilgate
Tilgate is about 1 mile south-east of Crawley, in West Sussex. Across the RH10 area, we will come to your venue or garden. Tilgate is one of 371 places in West Sussex we cover. We cook right across the region, from Tilgate to Brighton (19 miles away).
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Tilgate Park? Public parks typically need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like The Oaks Primary School & Nursery, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Here we cover the RH10 and RH11 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Local streets include York Road, Nash Road and Cook Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Southgate (1 mile west), Crawley (1 mile north-west), Three Bridges (1 mile north-east), Maidenbower (1 mile east) and West Green (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cater in Horsham (7 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (8 miles south-east), Burgess Hill (10 miles south), East Grinstead (7 miles east), Billingshurst (13 miles south-west) and Roffey (6 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include County Mall (0.7 miles north-west) and Crawley Hospital (1.2 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Tilgate Lake.
- Nearby schools include Three Bridges Junior School (0.5 miles north-west) and Thomas Bennett Community College (0.6 miles south-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Grasshopper pub (under half a mile south)
Questions from Tilgate
Which station should guests use for Tilgate?
The closest is Crawley station, roughly 0.6 miles away.
Could we have live paella in Tilgate Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
What happens with live paella?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook while everyone watches, and serve at the time you want.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Yes. Big pans feed a lot of people, and service from the pan is quick.
Can you cook in the rain?
We cook under cover, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. Send us a picture if you’re not sure.
Which areas do you serve?
We cater across London and the South East, including West Sussex. Find your area.
How many paellas should we have?
Typically two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Also near Tilgate
What else we do in Tilgate
Catering for every guest
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Put allergy details in writing
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Paella compared with other options
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why book with us
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- A quote that spells everything out
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Events in Tilgate and across West Sussex
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Occasions we cook for in Tilgate
Live paella is food and a show in one. The pans become a focal point, and the food is hot and generous.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Crawley station, about 0.6 miles north-west.
What to look for in a quote
- Travel and parking costs
- How bad weather is handled
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- What the caterer needs from your venue
DIY paella versus live catering
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
- 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