East Sussex · England
Paella Catering in Upper Hartfield
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Upper Hartfield: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Community events and fairs
Paella catering in Upper Hartfield
Is live paella right for your event?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why book with us
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Catering across East Sussex, including Upper Hartfield
- A clear, itemised quote
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Read Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Paella catering in Upper Hartfield, cooked live
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. On the menu are seafood paella, black rice and vegan paella, and typical bookings are for big birthdays and retirement celebrations.
In a hamlet or village like Upper Hartfield, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Location
- Upper Hartfield (TN7)
- County
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Upper Hartfield: venues, travel and local tips
Upper Hartfield is about 5 miles north-west of Crowborough, in East Sussex. We cater events at homes, gardens and venues in Upper Hartfield and nearby villages. We cater in 289 places in East Sussex. We cook right across the region, from Upper Hartfield to Brighton (20 miles away).
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Holy Trinity Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Ashurst Kent station, about 3.7 miles north-east. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 3 miles of Upper Hartfield, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Anywhere in TN7, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. That could mean an event in a garden on Parrock Lane, Cat Street and Gallipot Hill or the roads around them. Close by, we cover events in Coleman's Hatch (1 mile south-west), Forest Row (2 miles west), Wych Cross (3 miles south-west), Duddleswell (4 miles south) and Chelwood Gate (4 miles south-west). Further out, we also cater in Lewes (15 miles south), Crowborough (5 miles south-east), Uckfield (9 miles south), South Malling (15 miles south), Heathfield (11 miles south-east) and Cliffe (15 miles south).
Nearby you’ll also find Bolebroke Castle (2 miles north-east) and Crowborough War Memorial Hospital (4.2 miles south-east).
Should I cook it myself?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Towns and villages near Upper Hartfield
Other catering in Upper Hartfield
Events we cater in Upper Hartfield
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Upper Hartfield, people book us for events such as:
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Office lunches and staff parties
Nearby historic houses include Bassetts Manor (1.9 miles north) and Hammerwood Park (2.9 miles north-west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one.
What to look for in a quote
- When payment is due
- Space, access and power needs
- How long the team stays
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
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. Planning an evening event in Upper Hartfield? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
How to prepare
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
How to get a price
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote.
Read more
For event organisers in Upper Hartfield
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Prices and what affects them
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Your choice of paellas
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Waiting and bar staff
- Guest numbers
The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What we need to know
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Expected numbers
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- The date and time of the event
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, fill in our quote form.
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, not seafood. It’s often the most popular pan at an event.
Questions from Upper Hartfield
Is Upper Hartfield close to London?
Roughly 29 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Holy Trinity Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
What space do you need to cook?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Which areas do you serve?
We cater across London and the South East, including East Sussex. Find your area.
What about pudding?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Do you cover Upper Hartfield?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and Upper Hartfield is within our area and the rest of East Sussex. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If plans change, tell us and we will adjust.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
- 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