West Sussex · England
Paella Party Catering for Selham events
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events for events in Selham and across West Sussex.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Birthday parties
Book paella party catering in Selham
Dietary needs and planning tips
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Have enough chairs for most guests
- Ensure children stay back from the pans
- Plan a covered spot for wet weather
- Tell us how many children are coming
Children love watching the paella cook.
Tapas to start keep hunger at bay.
About our paella party catering in Selham
Tapas first, churros after and sangria throughout, and the party menu is complete. For milestone birthdays and wakes and celebrations of life, we will put together a menu of tapas, mixed paella and churros and more.
A country party near Selham is perfect for paella: cooked in the open and served hot. Plan a gazebo in case of rain. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
- Where
- Selham (GU28)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Compared with a barbecue, paella is served all at once, so nobody waits for the next batch. And there is no host stuck at the grill. There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Why choose Love Paella in Selham
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Events in Selham and across West Sussex
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
Common questions in Selham
Do you cater in the South Downs National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St James?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a picture.
Can you do a kids’ option?
Yes. Children typically love a plain chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
How long does the paella take?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Can you supply plates?
If you need them, yes. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables are available.
What if the weather’s bad?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Is the paella gluten-free?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Planning a party in Selham
Selham is about 8 miles south of Haslemere, in West Sussex. We cater parties at homes, gardens and venues in Selham and nearby villages. Selham is one of 371 places in West Sussex where we cook. Our events stretch from Selham to Guildford (about 19 miles away).
Christenings and naming days frequently start at a local church such as Church of St James, with a paella lunch at home or in a hall afterwards. The South Downs National Park is within about 3 miles of Selham, so a garden party here comes with a lovely backdrop.
We cater parties across GU28 and the streets around it. Other places close to Selham for paella party catering include South Ambersham (1 mile west), River (2 miles north), Tillington (2 miles north-east), Upperton (2 miles north-east) and Rotherbridge (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Bognor Regis (13 miles south), Chichester (11 miles south-west), Littlehampton (13 miles south-east), Emsworth (14 miles south-west), Rustington (14 miles south-east) and Storrington (11 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Midhurst Community Hospital (2.9 miles west) and Coultershaw Heritage Site (2.5 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Graffham Common.
How the day works
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell normally draws people over. For a late-May party in Selham, sunset is around 8:50pm; at midsummer it is about 9:20pm. If the party runs past dark, we’ll need light where we cook and serve.
- First, we check the 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.
- It’s served hot, and we clear away afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Get a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your party, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Read more
Should I cook it myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
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. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Before you choose a spot
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- A photo of the garden helps us check the space
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
On the menu in Selham
- Paella Valenciana
- Tapas
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Churros
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
What paella party catering costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Waiting and bar staff
- Your choice of paellas
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
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
For a quote, it helps to have:
- The date and rough timings
- Anything your venue supplies
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The address or venue name
Planning paella party catering in Selham? Tell us what you have in mind and we will come back with ideas and a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
For event organisers in Selham
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Nearby places to Selham
What else we do in Selham
Why choose paella party catering in Selham?
It feeds a crowd without anyone stuck in the kitchen, and it’s a talking point.
Here are some of the events we cook for:
- Garden get-togethers
- Street and neighbourhood parties
- Milestone birthdays
- Celebrations of life
Nearby historic houses include Cowdray House (2.7 miles west) and Petworth House (2.8 miles east). If you are hiring a historic venue for a big birthday, check its rules on outside caterers first.
Comparing caterers
- Payment terms and deposit
- Whether VAT is included
- What happens if it rains
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- 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