Greater London · England
Paella catering in CR7
Hosting a party in CR7? We cover Thornton Heath, Norbury and Pollards Hill and the rest of the district, with live paella cooked at your venue.
Planning an event in CR7?
Towns and villages in CR7
What we do in CR7
- Paella party catering
- Live paella catering
- Corporate paella catering
- Wedding paella catering
- Tapas & canapé catering
- Festival & event paella
- Every service
Tell us your date, numbers and venue and we’ll reply with a menu and a price: fill in our quote form.
Our paella catering in CR7
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, very little goes to waste, and the food is served hot. It’s why live paella suits so many kinds of event. Typical bookings include garden get-togethers and retirement celebrations, serving vegetable paella, seafood paella and vegan paella.
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Cost
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before booking.
Why book with us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Fast service from the pan
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- A quote that spells everything out
How to get a price
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
Around Thornton Heath
Locally, our events take us close to Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College for Girls, Grangewood Park and The Archbishop Lanfranc School and the streets around them. Nearby too are Prince George pub (0.7 miles east), Winterbourne Junior Girls' School (within half a mile west) and Church of St Stephen (within half a mile west). There’s a railway station in Thornton Heath itself: Thornton Heath station, handy for guests travelling by train. Other landmarks nearby include Crystal Palace Museum (1.9 miles north-east) and Addiscombe (1.8 miles south-east). Open spaces near Thornton Heath include Biggin Wood and Duppas Hill.
Planning live paella in CR7
There are 3 towns and 0 villages and hamlets in CR7, so whether your event is in Thornton Heath, Broad Green and Norbury or a quiet village, the approach is the same: level ground, ventilation and agreed timings.
Thornton Heath: Parks such as Grangewood Park normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Nearby historic houses include Kingswood House (2.4 miles north-east) and Addington Palace (4.2 miles south-east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. In Thornton Heath, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
Is live paella right for you?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving.
Comparing caterers
- How each diet is kept separate
- The deadline for final numbers
- The venue requirements
- How bad weather is handled
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Mention any other courses or food
- Count adults and children separately
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, which is when we normally call guests over.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
Space, weather and the venue
If a space isn’t suitable, we will tell you, and suggest an alternative. The main points are:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is normally served with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
CR7 questions
What happens with live paella?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Can paella be the only main course?
It is a full meal on its own. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
How many different paellas?
Two or three is usual: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Which areas do you serve?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including CR7.
What equipment do you bring?
All cooking kit comes with us. Tell us what the venue provides, such as tables or crockery.
- 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