Greater London · England
Live paella catering in Waddon, Greater London
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Waddon. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Paella catering near Waddon
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
About our paella catering in Waddon
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. Once it is ready, we serve it hot from the pan. Typical bookings include naming days and family parties and birthday celebrations, serving vegetable paella, seafood paella and paella Valenciana.
Around Waddon, most London events we’re asked about are in gardens, courtyards and hired venues. Parking and loading are the main things to plan, so let us know about parking permits or a driveway. Timings are planned around your event, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Area
- Waddon (CR0, CR2, SM6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Also in Waddon
Step by step
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Around midsummer it stays light in Waddon until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Tell us where to park and unload
Getting a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
Planning help
Working with your venue
If you are organising for someone else, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Live paella in Waddon: local details
Waddon is about 1 mile west of Croydon, in Greater London. Events in Waddon are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cook in all 764 towns and villages across Greater London. Our nearest city page is London, about 9 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Waddon station is in Waddon itself. Nearby historic houses include Addington Palace (3.1 miles east) and Kingswood House (4.8 miles north). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
We cater events across the CR0, CR2 and SM6 postcode area and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Abbey Road, Alton Road and Epsom Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. We also cook at events in Old Town (1 mile north-east), Bandonhill (1 mile west), Beddington (1 mile north-west), Russell Hill (1 mile south-west) and Roundshaw (1 mile south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as London (9 miles north), City of Westminster (11 miles north), Marylebone (11 miles north), Kensington (10 miles north), St Pancras (11 miles north) and Shoreditch (11 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include County Borough of Croydon (0.8 miles north-east) and Croydon Airport Visitor Centre (0.6 miles south-west). Open spaces near Waddon include Duppas Hill and Roundshaw Downs.
- Schools near Waddon include St Andrew's CofE School (within half a mile north) and Rutherford School (1.4 miles east)
- Nearby, you will find The Waddon Hotel (within half a mile north-west)
What paella catering costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- The number of people
- Travel, parking and access
- How many courses
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Getting an accurate quote
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- The date and rough timings
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Where the event is
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Why choose paella catering in Waddon?
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Engagement and anniversary parties
Parks such as Duppas Hill usually need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
What your quote should include
- Allergen information for each dish
- The deposit and payment dates
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- The venue requirements
FAQs for Waddon
What about parking in Waddon?
It can be, so tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway. We will work around it.
Which station should guests use for Waddon?
Waddon station, in Waddon itself.
Do you do desserts?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
Do you cook inside?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, because we use gas burners. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Can paella be the only main course?
Yes. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course.
How much does paella catering cost in Waddon?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas for a clear quote.
How long does the paella take?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Live paella or other catering?
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, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why us?
- Drinks service on request
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Real theatre, not just catering
Read How we price And The cost guide.
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Level ground for the pans and burners
Waddon is in London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking can be tight: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Waddon
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a paella that stands on its own. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It’s typically the most photographed pan.
- 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