East Sussex · England
Paella party catering in Selmeston, East Sussex
Treat your guests to live paella at your party in Selmeston. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Milestone birthdays
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Street parties and neighbourhood get-togethers
Planning an event in Selmeston?
Paella party catering in Selmeston, made fresh on the day
The smell of paella cooking is the best party invitation. Guests gather round, glass in hand, to watch. For engagement and anniversary parties and summer garden parties, we’ll put together a menu of chicken and chorizo paella, churros and tapas for your guests.
Near Selmeston, parties are often in gardens or fields. Tell us about lanes and parking, and we’ll plan the set-up. You will know exactly what’s included before you book: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose, with no surprises on the day.
- Where
- Selmeston (BN26)
- County
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Space, weather and the venue
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Tapas
- Churros
Is live paella right for your party?
A buffet takes hours to prepare and leaves food sitting out. Paella is cooked fresh and served hot. Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why book with us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Events in Selmeston and across East Sussex
What affects the price in Selmeston
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- The number of people
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Your choice of paellas
- How many staff you need
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
What to tell us
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- What the venue already provides
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Expected numbers
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
Selmeston parties: what to know
Selmeston is about 5 miles north of Seaford, in East Sussex. Anywhere in BN26, we will come to your venue or garden. Selmeston is one of 289 towns and villages in East Sussex where we cook. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 12 miles away.
Historic houses near Selmeston include Charleston Farmhouse (1.2 miles west) and Firle Place (2.3 miles west). Grand settings like these frequently have strict catering rules, so for most parties a garden or hired hall is simpler. For guests coming by train, Berwick (Sussex) station is about 1 mile away. Selmeston is within about 3 miles of the South Downs National Park, so many gardens around here have a great outlook. Near the coast, within about 6 miles, seafood paella is a natural choice, and we always plan for wind.
Paella party catering in BN26 is planned around your venue and your guests. Your party could be at a home on The Street and Lewes Road. For parties just outside Selmeston, we cover Alciston (1 mile south), Berwick (1 mile east), Ripe (2 miles north), Winton (2 miles south) and Wickstreet (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (7 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles east), Seaford (5 miles south), Lewes (6 miles west), Hailsham (5 miles east) and Crowborough (14 miles north).
Nearby you will also find Drusillas Museum (1.8 miles south-east) and Chailey Heritage Marine Hospital (5.3 miles south-west). Not far away are Firle Beacon.
- Pubs nearby include The Barley Mow pub (under half a mile south-west)
Your questions about paella party catering in Selmeston
Can you cook at venues in the South Downs National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll follow the site rules.
Is Selmeston too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
Is the paella gluten-free?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
Which areas do you serve?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Selmeston.
How long does the paella take?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
How early should we book?
As early as you can for summer weekends, which fill up first. Check your date with us.
What else we do in Selmeston
Occasions we cook for in Selmeston
Any occasion works, from a first birthday to a ruby wedding.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Selmeston, people book us for occasions like:
- Naming days and christenings
- Milestone birthdays
- Retirement celebrations
- Neighbourhood celebrations
Christenings and naming days often start at a local church such as The Parish Church of St Mary, with a paella lunch at home or in a hall afterwards.
Comparing caterers
- How long the team stays
- Travel and parking costs
- The deadline for final numbers
- Space, access and power needs
For planners, venues and organisers
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.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
DIY paella versus live catering
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
How it works
Service is quick: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so large groups are fed quickly. When service is finished, we pack down. For a late-May party in Selmeston, sunset is around 8:50pm; at midsummer it’s about 9:15pm. If the party runs past dark, we’ll need light where we cook and serve.
- Send us your date, address and numbers.
- You get a menu and a quote.
- We set up before guests arrive.
- Guests watch the paella cook.
- We serve, then clear our area.
Getting ready for the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Ask for a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Plan where rubbish goes
- Plan seats for most guests
- Ensure children stay back from the pans
- Ask guests about diets when you invite them
After service, we pack down, so the party carries on.
Tapas to start keep hunger at bay.
- 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