East Sussex · England

Paella catering in TN5

We cater across all of the TN5 postcode district, which takes in Wadhurst, Ticehurst and Flimwell. Everything is cooked live on the day.

Live paella across TN5

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Places in TN5

Events we cater in TN5

Send us your event details and postcode and we’ll reply with a menu and a price: fill in our quote form.

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Map of TN5 © OpenStreetMap contributors

Paella catering in TN5: what to expect

We cook every paella from scratch on the day, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We cook black rice, vegan paella and paella Valenciana, and typical bookings are for staff parties and work lunches and engagement and anniversary parties.

We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, and we agree where that is before the day.

You share your date, numbers and venue.
We plan a menu that covers every diet.
We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.

What you will pay

Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.

What you get with us

Served hot, straight from the pan
Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Live cooking, not reheated food
Food that becomes part of the entertainment

How to get a price

It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.

Local landmarks in Wadhurst

We cook for events around White Hart pub, Uplands Community College and The Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul. Wadhurst’s nearest station is Wadhurst station, roughly 1 mile north-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Ticehurst House Hospital (3.1 miles east) and Old Scotney Castle (3.9 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Bewl Water.

Catering events across TN5

Across TN5, we cook in 3 towns and 13 villages and hamlets, so the setting can be anything from Wadhurst, Ticehurst and Flimwell to a quiet hamlet: a level, ventilated spot and a clear plan. The High Weald National Landscape is within easy reach of places across TN5, where some venues have extra rules about vehicles and cooking.

Wadhurst: Historic houses near Wadhurst include Wadhurst Castle (within half a mile south) and Scotney Castle (3.8 miles north-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like The Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. In Wadhurst, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, 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.

Planning for every diet

Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:

Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
Let us know about other food at the event

If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can enjoy your guests.

Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.

Occasions we cook for in TN5

Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.

Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in TN5 book us for events such as:

Anniversaries and engagement parties
Christenings and family gatherings
Birthday celebrations
Company summer parties

Dishes our guests love

Black rice

Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It’s a striking addition to a seafood menu.

Vegetable and vegan paella

A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.

Space, weather and the venue

The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:

Level ground for the pans and burners
Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
Parking close enough to carry equipment

Working with your venue

If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.

For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.

TN5: your questions answered

Can you cook halal paella?

Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.

What space do you need to cook?

Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a picture.

What happens with live paella?

We set up a cooking area at your venue, cook the paella from scratch in large pans while your guests watch, and serve it straight from the pan.

How long does the paella take?

We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.

What about pudding?

Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.

Which paella is most popular?

Most events choose two or three: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.

Do you provide plates and cutlery?

Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.

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

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