East Sussex · England
Tapas Catering in Hellingly
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Hellingly. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Engagement celebrations
Tapas catering for Hellingly events
About the dishes
Patatas bravas
Always popular and usually vegetarian.
Manchego & membrillo
Spanish sheep’s cheese with quince paste.
Tapas catering in Hellingly, cooked live
We finish hot tapas on site, so they arrive hot. Typical bookings include tapas before paella and receptions and drinks parties, serving tortilla española, gambas al ajillo and Manchego with membrillo.
In Hellingly, tapas work at home or in a local hall. We plan the timings around your day, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Area
- Hellingly (BN27)
- Area hub
- East Sussex
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Organising for someone else?
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Tapas for events in Hellingly
Hellingly is about 1 mile north of Hailsham, in East Sussex. From the centre of Hellingly to the outskirts, tapas catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cover all 289 towns and villages across East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Hellingly to Brighton (17 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Polegate station, about 4.3 miles south. After a ceremony at a church such as Emmanuel, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Hellingly is within about 7 miles of the South Downs National Park, ideal for an outdoor reception.
This part of East Sussex takes in BN27, so your event can be anywhere in it. That could mean an event in a garden on Station Road, Cheviot Street and Iris Close or the roads around them. For events just outside Hellingly, we cover Upper Horsebridge (1 mile south-west), Lower Horsebridge (1 mile west), Magham Down (1 mile east), Hailsham (1 mile south) and Tile Hurst (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (7 miles south), Hastings (13 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (9 miles east), Seaford (10 miles south-west), Lewes (11 miles west) and Crowborough (12 miles north).
A little further out are Hellingly Hospital Railway (less than half a mile north) and Sussex Farm Museum (3.6 miles north).
- Local schools include Hailsham Community College (1.2 miles south)
Questions from Hellingly
We’re having a ceremony at Emmanuel: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
How far is Hellingly from London?
Roughly 45 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Do we need staff for canapés?
Canapés work best with staff serving, which we can supply.
Will there be enough food?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan for them.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Prices and what affects them
There is nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Your choice of paellas
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
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.
Getting an accurate quote
To check availability and price, we need:
- The venue or postcode
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Expected numbers
- The courses you’d like
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote.
Towns and villages near Hellingly
Other catering in Hellingly
Who books tapas catering in Hellingly?
They’re easy to eat with a drink in hand.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Hellingly book us for events such as:
- Engagement drinks
- Birthday drinks
- Cocktail parties
- Office parties and launches
Historic houses near Hellingly include Horselunges Manor (0.6 miles west) and Michelham Priory (2.5 miles south-west). Where a historic venue does not allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue.
Questions to ask before booking
- The wet-weather plan
- The deadline for final numbers
- Who provides the crockery
- What the caterer needs from your venue
The process
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you are free to enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first as the rice is cooking. At midsummer, it is light in Hellingly until about 9:15pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. In late September, sunset is about 7:00pm; winter receptions, dark by 3:55pm, are better indoors.
- Tell us the date, venue and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
How to get a price
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will put together a menu and price.
Planning help
Dietary needs and planning tips
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Label vegetarian and allergen-free dishes
- Label seafood clearly
- Add sangria or cava
- Ask guests about diets and allergies
Each dish is labelled.
Churros or crema catalana to finish.
Should I cook it myself?
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Why choose live paella in Hellingly?
Crisps and nibbles fill a gap. Tapas make a proper course. The cost per head normally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why choose Love Paella in Hellingly
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Catering across East Sussex, including Hellingly
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Read How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
- 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