East Sussex · England

Paella catering in BN20

Planning an event in BN20? We cover Lower Willingdon, Meads and Holywell and every street in between, with live paella cooked at your venue.

Get a quote

Where we cater in BN20

What we do in BN20

Tell us your date, numbers and venue and we’ll reply with a menu and a price: fill in our quote form.

Districts next door

Elsewhere in East Sussex

Towns and villages in East Sussex
Areas we cover

Map of BN20 © OpenStreetMap contributors

Paella catering across BN20

We cook every paella from scratch on the day, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. We cook chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and vegan paella, and we are often booked for weddings and evening receptions and milestone birthday parties.

The paella is cooked in huge, shallow pans over gas burners. We need a level, ventilated spot, and we agree where that is before the day.

First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.

Cost

Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.

Why book with us

Hot food served quickly from the pan
Catering across East Sussex, including BN20
Food that becomes part of the entertainment
Paella cooked from scratch on site

Ask for a quote

Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: use our quote form.

Around Lower Willingdon

Around Lower Willingdon, we cater at gardens, homes and venues near St Wilfrid, Willingdon Community School and The Wheatsheaf Inn. The closest station to Lower Willingdon is Polegate station, about 0.9 miles north. Other landmarks nearby include Burlough Castle (3.5 miles west) and Filching Manor And Motor Museum (1.2 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Combe Hill.

Catering events across BN20

From Eastbourne, Old Town and Upperton to 3 villages and hamlets, events across BN20 range from town-centre venues to gardens and fields, and live paella works in all of them. Town events mean planning parking; village events mean planning access. Around 11 places in BN20 are close to the coast, so we often plan a sheltered cooking spot for the wind, and seafood paella is popular.

Lower Willingdon: Historic houses near Lower Willingdon include Alfriston Clergy House (4 miles west) and Michelham Priory (4 miles north-west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like St Wilfrid, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Around midsummer it stays light in Lower Willingdon until about 9:15pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:00pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.

For event organisers in BN20

Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.

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.

Who books paella catering?

It suits relaxed, sociable events, with guests mingling as it cooks before sitting down to eat.

Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in BN20 book us for events such as:

Company summer parties
Anniversary celebrations
Retirement and leaving parties
Wedding breakfasts and evening food

Dietary needs and planning tips

Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:

Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
Send allergies to us in writing
Ask for labels on each pan

After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.

We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.

Why live cooking beats a buffet

Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together.

What your quote should include

Who provides the crockery
Travel and parking costs
Exactly what’s included in the price
The deadline for final numbers

DIY paella versus live catering

Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.

A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.

Questions from BN20

Can paella be the only main course?

It is a full meal on its own. Many hosts add tapas first or dessert after.

Are premium seafood options available?

Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.

Do you cook it at the event?

Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.

Do you provide plates and cutlery?

If you need them, yes. Proper crockery or quality disposables are available.

How many different paellas?

Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.

What if the weather’s bad?

A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll talk it through before the day.

Which paellas do you recommend?

That depends on who’s coming. A chicken or mixed paella is generally the most popular, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.

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

See the menu · How it works · Get a quote