Brighton and Hove · England
Paella Catering for West Hill events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in West Hill: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
Book paella catering in West Hill
Paella catering for your event in West Hill
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. Typical bookings include anniversaries and engagement parties and birthday celebrations, with black rice, paella Valenciana and chicken and chorizo paella.
There may be a hall or club near West Hill if your garden is small; any can work for paella, with permission and somewhere outside to cook. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
- Location
- West Hill (BN1, BN3, BN2)
- Region
- Brighton and Hove
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Why choose live paella in West Hill?
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
Why West Hill hosts choose us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Planners, venues and businesses
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Catering an event in West Hill
West Hill is about 1 mile west of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. For paella catering in West Hill, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cover all 30 towns and villages in Brighton and Hove, from the larger towns to small villages.
Historic houses near West Hill include Royal Pavilion (0.6 miles south-east) and Preston Manor & Gardens (0.9 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like St Paul's CofE Primary School and Nursery, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. The South Downs National Park is within about 7 miles of West Hill. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking. The coast is within about a mile of West Hill, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
This part of Brighton and Hove takes in BN1, BN3 and BN2, so your event can be anywhere in it. From Powis Road, North Road and York Avenue or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. Being close to the A2010, West Hill is simple for us to get to with everything for your event. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Seven Dials (1 mile north-west), Brunswick (1 mile south-west), Prestonville (1 mile north-west), Brighton (1 mile east) and Carlton Hill (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Hangleton (3 miles north-west), Saltdean (5 miles east), East Saltdean (5 miles east), Rottingdean (4 miles east) and Ovingdean (3 miles east). West Hill is among the bigger towns we cover in Brighton and Hove, with plenty of venues for events.
A little further out are Churchill Square (0.5 miles south) and Montefiore Hospital (0.5 miles west). The countryside around West Hill includes Whitehawk Hill and Newmarket Hill.
- Local schools include Brighton Girls (less than half a mile west) and Academy of Creative Training (0.9 miles south-east)
- Nearby, you will find The Cow pub (less than half a mile west)
About the dishes
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together.
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is usually served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
DIY paella versus live catering
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Your questions about paella catering in West Hill
Is West Hill close to London?
About 46 miles from central London.
What’s the nearest station to West Hill for guests?
West Hill has its own station: Brighton station.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Can you cook indoors?
Normally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, since the burners are gas. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Do you cater in West Hill?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and West Hill is within our area and the rest of Brighton and Hove. To check your date, use our quote form.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Nearby places to West Hill
Other catering in West Hill
The process
We get there well before serving, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Guests typically gather round to watch as the paella takes shape. In West Hill, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, tell us about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Before we arrive
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Ask for a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Read more
Events we cater in West Hill
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We frequently cook for:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Retirement celebrations
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Galeed Strict Baptist Chapel, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Questions to ask before you book
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Payment terms and deposit
- A clear list of what’s included
- Staff numbers and hours
Space, weather and the venue
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you. What matters most:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Menu ideas
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
Prices and what affects them
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- How long we’re needed on site
- The paellas you choose
- Waiting and bar staff
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
The cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
Getting an accurate quote
These details help us quote quickly:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Which courses you have in mind
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.
- 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