Surrey · England
Paella party catering in Abbotswood, Surrey
Paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events in Abbotswood: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Baby celebrations
- Wakes and celebrations of life
- Summer garden parties
Paella party catering in Abbotswood
DIY paella versus live catering
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Paella party catering for your party in Abbotswood
The smell of paella cooking is the best party invitation. People drift over with a drink to watch it cook. Whether it’s street parties and neighbourhood get-togethers and retirement and leaving parties, we can cook tapas, vegetable paella and seafood paella for your guests.
Around Abbotswood, a garden and a gazebo is all you need. A paella pan fits right in. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Prices and what affects them
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Distance and access to the venue
- The paellas you choose
- How long we’re needed on site
- Waiting and bar staff
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What to tell us
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- 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. You can fill in our quote form.
Organising for someone else?
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Abbotswood? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
How the day works
Service is quick: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. For a late-May party in Abbotswood, sunset is around 8:55pm; at midsummer it’s about 9:20pm. After dark, the cooking area needs good lighting.
- You tell us the date, address, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a quote.
- On the day we arrive, set up our cooking area and start cooking.
- The paella cooks while your guests chat, with any tapas served first.
- We serve from the pan and clear our cooking area away when we are done.
Before we arrive
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Tell us where to park and unload
How to get a price
Send us the date, your venue or GU1 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, use our quote form.
Planning help
Before you choose a spot
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- 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.
On the menu in Abbotswood
- Mixed paella
- Churros
- Vegetable paella
- Tapas
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
A closer look at the menu
Chicken & chorizo paella
It’s one of the most popular pans at parties.
Churros
All ages love churros.
Also near Abbotswood
More for events in Abbotswood
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Collect dietary needs with your invites
- Plan seats for most guests
- Make sure children stay back from the pans
- Plan a covered spot for wet weather
Kids are fascinated by the giant pans.
Plates, cutlery and waiting staff can be added.
Abbotswood parties: what to know
Abbotswood is about 1 mile south-east of Guildford, in Surrey. Wherever your party is in the GU1 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. Abbotswood is one of 395 towns and villages in Surrey where we cook.
Thinking of a party in Stoke Park? Cooking in a public park typically needs permission from the council or landowner, so check first. If guests are coming by rail, Abbotswood has its own station, London Road (Guildford) station. Abbotswood is within about 5 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape, so a garden party here comes with a lovely backdrop.
Here we cover the GU1 postcode area, and we can cater your party anywhere in it. That could mean a party in a garden on York Road, Stoke Road and Maori Road or the roads around them. With the A246 and A3100 close by, Abbotswood is easy for us to reach with everything for your party. Close by, we cover parties in Guildford (1 mile north-west), Burpham (1 mile north-east), Bellfields (1 mile north-west), Merrow (1 mile east) and East Shalford (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Woking (5 miles north), Camberley (10 miles north-west), Epsom (14 miles north-east), Farnham (10 miles west), Ewell (15 miles north-east) and Egham (13 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include St. Luke’s Hospital (less than half a mile south) and Guildford Castle (0.7 miles south-west). The countryside around Abbotswood includes Silent Pool and Pewley Down.
- Schools near Abbotswood include Guildford High School (under half a mile north-west) and Holy Trinity (0.5 miles south)
- Local pubs include The Rats Castle pub (less than half a mile south-west)
FAQs for Abbotswood
Can you cater a reception after a service at Christ Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you cater in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
Will the neighbours notice?
Less smoke than a barbecue, more smell, and it is a good smell. A friendly note to the neighbours helps.
Can you cater for children?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan for them.
Do you do starters?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Can you do a kids’ option?
Paella is popular with children, particularly a simple chicken pan. Tell us how many and their ages.
Is live paella right for your party?
Home-made buffets take ages and sit out for hours. Paella is cooked fresh and served hot. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Why book with us
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Catering across Surrey, including Abbotswood
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- 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