West Sussex · England
Paella party catering in Handcross, West Sussex
We cook paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events across Handcross and West Sussex, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Neighbourhood celebrations
- Garden get-togethers
- Big family gatherings
Live paella party catering in Handcross
What affects the price in Handcross
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Waiting and bar staff
- Parking and unloading
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What to tell us
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Where the event is
- The date and rough timings
- A picture of where we’d cook
To get a price, fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your party, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
How our paella party catering works in Handcross
You get to be a guest at your own party: no shopping, prep or cooking. The food is our job. Whether it’s big birthdays and baby celebrations, we can cook churros, chicken and chorizo paella and tapas and more.
In a small place like Handcross, a party in the garden or a nearby field is often the plan. Tell us about lanes and parking, and we will handle the rest. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
- Area
- Handcross (RH17)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Perfect for your party in Handcross
It’s generous and sociable, perfect for celebrations where people want to mingle.
In Handcross and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Christenings and naming days
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Retirement celebrations
- Neighbourhood celebrations
Historic houses near Handcross include Tyes Place (1.9 miles south-east) and Ockenden Manor (4.2 miles south-east). Grand settings like these often have strict catering rules, so for most parties a garden or hired hall is simpler.
What to look for in a quote
- When final numbers are due
- The deposit and payment dates
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- If the price includes VAT
Towns and villages near Handcross
What else we do in Handcross
Hosting a paella party in Handcross
Handcross is about 4 miles south of Crawley, in West Sussex. Anywhere in RH17, we can cook for your guests. Handcross is one of 371 places in West Sussex where we cook. Our events stretch from Handcross to Brighton (16 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Balcombe station is about 2.8 miles away. Christenings and naming days frequently start at a local church such as All Saints, with a paella lunch at home or in a hall afterwards.
For paella party catering in RH17, we plan around your venue and your guests. We can cater a party on streets such as High Street, London Road and Windmill Platt or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Handcross, we also cover Slaugham (1 mile south), Plummers Plain (2 miles south-west), Colgate (3 miles north-west), Broadfield (3 miles north) and Lower Beeding (3 miles south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Crawley (4 miles north), Horsham (5 miles west), Haywards Heath (6 miles south-east), Burgess Hill (7 miles south-east), East Grinstead (10 miles north-east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (15 miles south).
Nearby you’ll also find Crawley Hospital (4.3 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Tilgate Lake and Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow.
- Local schools include Handcross Park School (0.5 miles north)
- Local pubs include The Royal Oak Public House (less than half a mile south-west)
Why choose live paella in Handcross?
Unlike a barbecue, paella is ready at once, so everyone eats together. And there’s no host stuck at the grill. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Why choose Love Paella in Handcross
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Catering across West Sussex, including Handcross
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Take a look at Our prices page Or Our guide to catering costs.
Handcross: your questions answered
We are having a ceremony at All Saints: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
What’s the nearest station to Handcross for guests?
Balcombe station, about 2.8 miles east of the centre.
How much does paella party catering cost in Handcross?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we’ll reply with a price.
Can you cook halal paella?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we can plan it carefully.
How many different paellas?
Two or three covers most guests. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
Which areas do you serve?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Does it make a lot of smoke?
There is a cooking smell, but much less smoke than a barbecue. A friendly note to the neighbours helps.
Step by step
Here’s how the day normally runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and we serve straight from the pan when you are ready to eat. For a late-May party in Handcross, sunset is around 8:50pm; at midsummer it is about 9:20pm. After dark, the cooking area needs good lighting.
- We check your date and the space.
- You pick paellas, tapas and desserts.
- The burners go on and the sofrito starts.
- The rice goes in and your guests gather round.
- We serve hot and tidy our area afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Get a quote
Send us the date, your venue or RH17 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Dietary needs and planning tips
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Keep a clear zone around the cooking area
- Put out bins for general waste and recycling
- Let the neighbours know
At food time, we serve straight from the pan, while you enjoy your guests.
Tapas to start keep guests happy.
Planners, venues and businesses
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
About the dishes
Seafood paella
A seafood pan with prawns and mussels, for the fish lovers.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Chicken and chorizo is a crowd-pleaser.
- 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