Brighton and Hove · England
Wedding paella catering in Carlton Hill, Brighton and Hove
We cook paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food across Carlton Hill and Brighton and Hove, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Evening food for extra guests
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
- Parties after a register office wedding
Wedding paella catering for Carlton Hill events
Wedding paella catering in Carlton Hill, cooked live
A paella wedding makes mixed diets simple: each paella has its own pan, so vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests eat the same kind of meal as everyone else. We cook a paella wedding breakfast, Spanish desserts and evening paella, and we are regularly asked to cater farm and barn venues and relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts.
A farm or garden wedding near Carlton Hill suits live paella. We’ll need a level spot and a way to reach it. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
- Where
- Carlton Hill (BN2, BN1, BN50)
- Region
- Brighton and Hove
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
How it works
Here’s how the day usually runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it is served hot from the pan when you are ready to eat. At midsummer, sunset in Carlton Hill is about 9:15pm, so we can time the evening paella around your photos. Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May and 7:05pm in late September.
- We start with your date, venue, numbers and ideas.
- We build the menu course by course and send a quote.
- Timings are agreed with you and the venue, around speeches and photos.
- On the day, we set up, cook in front of your guests and serve each course.
- We pack down our cooking area, with staff staying as long as agreed.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Get a quote
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. To start, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
What we need at the venue
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Dessert
- Canapé tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Evening paella
- Sangria & bar staff
- Table tapas
What affects the price in Carlton Hill
The price comes down to a few factors:
- How many staff you need
- Guest numbers
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Timings and hours
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Getting an accurate quote
The more we know about your wedding, the better we can plan. Please include:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The address or venue name
- Which courses you have in mind
- Expected numbers
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Other catering in Carlton Hill
Who books wedding paella catering in Carlton Hill?
A sharing-style meal gets guests talking across the tables.
Whatever you are celebrating in Carlton Hill, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Barn and farm weddings
- Informal wedding breakfasts
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
- Garden and marquee weddings
Historic houses near Carlton Hill include Royal Pavilion (under half a mile west) and Preston Manor & Gardens (1.5 miles north-west). Historic houses and estates often have their own rules on caterers and cooking, so check early if that’s your venue.
What your quote should include
- How late numbers can change
- VAT, if it applies
- The wet-weather plan
- Exactly what’s included in the price
Carlton Hill weddings: local tips
Carlton Hill is about 1 mile south of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. Give us the address of your wedding in Carlton Hill, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up. Carlton Hill is one of 30 towns and villages in Brighton and Hove we cover.
For outdoor photos, Whitehawk Hill is close by. If you are marrying at a church near Carlton Hill, such as Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, a reception in a garden, marquee or hired venue nearby keeps the day flowing: we can be cooking during the photos, so it is ready as guests arrive. The South Downs National Park is within about 7 miles of Carlton Hill, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue. The sea is within about a mile, perfect for a seafood paella wedding. We will plan shelter from sea breezes.
Wherever your wedding is in BN2, BN1 and BN50, we can cook for your guests. We can cater a wedding on streets such as New Road, North Road and Brills Lane or the roads around them. With the A259 close by, Carlton Hill is easy for us to reach for your wedding. If your venue is just outside Carlton Hill, we also cover Hanover (1 mile north), Brighton (1 mile north), West Hill (1 mile north-west), Kemptown (1 mile south-east) and Seven Dials (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Brighton and Hove (3 miles west), Aldrington (3 miles west), Hangleton (3 miles north-west), Patcham (3 miles north), Westdene (3 miles north-west) and Saltdean (4 miles east). Carlton Hill is one of the larger places we cover in Brighton and Hove, with lots of choice for weddings.
A little further out are Sussex Eye Hospital (0.7 miles south-east) and Churchill Square (0.6 miles west). The countryside around Carlton Hill includes Whitehawk Hill and Newmarket Hill.
- Local schools include Academy of Creative Training (less than half a mile south) and Brighton Girls (0.9 miles west)
- Nearby, you’ll find Devonshire Arms (under half a mile east)
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
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.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Planners, venues and businesses
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Carlton Hill: your questions answered
Can you cook near the sea around Carlton Hill?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Which station should guests use for Carlton Hill?
The closest is Brighton station, roughly 0.5 miles away.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and we will cook a separate pan.
Can you cook indoors?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
Can paella feel formal?
Served well, it feels generous and special: canapés, tapas, crockery and table service.
What if our speeches run late?
Tell us and we will adjust. We stay in touch with your coordinator and time the rice so it is served at its best.
Planning for every diet
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Tell us how many evening guests to expect
- Ask about diets and allergies with your RSVPs
- Choose pan-side or table service
- Introduce us to your venue coordinator
After service, we pack down our cooking area; staff you’ve booked stay as agreed.
Spanish desserts, or your own wedding cake, finish the meal.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Buffets can mean food sitting for a while. Paella goes straight from pan to plate when guests are ready. There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why Carlton Hill hosts choose us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Take a look at Our pricing And The cost guide.
- 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