East Sussex · England
Live paella catering in Winchelsea, East Sussex
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Winchelsea.
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Planning an event in Winchelsea?
Paella catering for your event in Winchelsea
The cooking is half the fun. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the aroma does the rest. Popular choices include paella Valenciana, vegetable paella and black rice, and typical bookings are for fairs, fêtes and festivals and anniversary celebrations.
For a rural spot like Winchelsea, the countryside is part of the appeal: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
- Area
- Winchelsea (TN36)
- County
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Winchelsea questions
How far is Winchelsea from London?
Roughly 53 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
What’s the nearest station to Winchelsea for guests?
The closest is Winchelsea station, roughly 0.7 miles away.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring all the cooking equipment. Tell us what the venue provides, such as tables or crockery.
How far ahead should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Which paella is most popular?
Most events choose two or three: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Our menu lists the options.
Can you supply plates?
We can. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
Perfect for your event in Winchelsea
It needs no kitchen, so it is at home in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Retirement celebrations
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Milestone birthday parties
Nearby historic houses include Lamb House (2 miles north-east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
What to look for in a quote
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- When payment is due
- VAT, if it applies
- What happens if it rains
How we price paella catering
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Timings and hours
- Waiting and bar staff
- Your choice of paellas
Larger events generally cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
What to tell us
These details help us quote quickly:
- Anything your venue supplies
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- Which courses you have in mind
- The date and rough timings
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, fill in our quote form.
Paella compared with other options
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 put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why choose Love Paella in Winchelsea
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- We cover Winchelsea and the whole of East Sussex
- A clear, itemised quote
- Sangria and bar staff available
Working with your venue
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
How the day works
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Around midsummer it stays light in Winchelsea until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Get a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Related guides
Live paella in Winchelsea: local details
Winchelsea is about 7 miles north-east of Hastings, in East Sussex. From the centre of Winchelsea to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Winchelsea is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we cook. Our events stretch from Winchelsea to Canterbury (about 29 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Winchelsea station is about 0.7 miles away. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School, can book us as a food stall. The coast is within about 3 miles of Winchelsea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Paella catering in TN36 is planned around your venue and timings. Local streets include High Street, Barrack Square and Station Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Close by, we cover events in Winchelsea Beach (1 mile south-east), Rye (2 miles north-east), Rye Harbour (2 miles north-east), Playden (3 miles north-east) and Rye Foreign (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Hastings (7 miles south-west), Bexhill-on-Sea (12 miles south-west), St Leonards (8 miles south-west), Hastings Old Town (7 miles south-west), Belmont (7 miles south-west) and Hollington (8 miles south-west).
Nearby you’ll also find Winchelsea Court Hall Museum (within half a mile north-west) and Camber Castle (1.2 miles north-east). The countryside around Winchelsea includes Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.
- Schools near Winchelsea include Rye College (2.3 miles north-east)
- Pubs nearby include The New Inn (less than half a mile west)
Space, weather and the venue
Before the day, we’ll agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
Should I cook it myself?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Also near Winchelsea
What else we do in Winchelsea
- 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