Greater London · England
Live paella catering in Totteridge, Greater London
Love Paella cooks live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Totteridge and Greater London, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Engagement and anniversary parties
Paella catering near Totteridge
How our paella catering works in Totteridge
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is what we bring to events in Totteridge. We cook paella Valenciana, black rice and vegan paella, and we’re frequently booked for christenings and family gatherings and fairs, fêtes and festivals.
In a London neighbourhood like Totteridge, the cooking spot is generally a back garden, a courtyard or a venue’s terrace. The thing to plan is parking and unloading, so let us know about parking permits or a driveway. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Location
- Totteridge (N20, EN5)
- County
- Greater London
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
What we need at the venue
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
As a London location, Totteridge is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before you book.
What we offer
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Nearby places to Totteridge
Other catering in Totteridge
Diets, allergies and planning
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Confirm allergies by email
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Tell us what else is being served
A short rest after cooking helps, which is when we usually call guests over.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago, or serve your own cake.
Questions from Totteridge
Could we have live paella in Brook Farm Open Space?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Andrew's Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Which paellas do you recommend?
It depends on your guests. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Is paella a full meal?
It’s a full meal on its own. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
How much paella per person?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Are premium seafood options available?
We’ll talk through seafood options when we plan your menu.
How much does paella catering cost in Totteridge?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas for a clear quote.
Is live paella right for your event?
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, so everyone can eat at the same time. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why choose Love Paella in Totteridge
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Catering across Greater London, including Totteridge
Take a look at Our pricing And The cost guide.
How we price paella catering
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many staff you need
- How long we’re needed on site
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before booking.
Details that help
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- The date and time of the event
- The address or venue name
- The courses you’d like
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
DIY paella versus live catering
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
For event organisers in Totteridge
Hosting a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
What’s in the pans
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It’s often the most popular pan at an event.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Paella catering around Totteridge
Totteridge is about 1 mile south-west of Barnet, in Greater London. Wherever your event is in the N20 area, we can bring the pans to you. Totteridge is one of 764 towns and villages in Greater London where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Totteridge to London (10 miles away).
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like The Totteridge Academy, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Thinking of a picnic-style party in Brook Farm Open Space? Public parks generally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
Here we cover the N20 and EN5 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. From Barnet Lane, Grange Avenue and Chestnut Lane or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Hadley (1 mile north), High Barnet (1 mile north), Arkley (2 miles north-west), Mill Hill (2 miles south-west) and Rowley Green (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (10 miles south-east), City of Westminster (9 miles south), Marylebone (8 miles south), Kensington (9 miles south), St Pancras (8 miles south-east) and Shoreditch (9 miles south-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Barnet General Hospital (1.3 miles north-west) and Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum (1.5 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Totteridge Green and Darland's Lake.
- Local schools include St Andrew's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School (under half a mile south) and Susi Earnshaw Theatre School (1.2 miles north)
- Local facilities include Barnet Urban District (1 mile north)
The process
The cooking is part of the entertainment. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. Planning an evening event in Totteridge? 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.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Preparing for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
How to get a price
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Totteridge, and we will put together a menu and price.
Related guides
- 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