Surrey · England
Wedding paella catering in Chelsham, Surrey
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food in Chelsham and the surrounding area.
- Marquee and garden weddings
- Receptions after an intimate ceremony
- Spanish-themed and destination-style weddings
Wedding paella catering for Chelsham events
Wedding paella catering for your wedding in Chelsham
We can do the whole day or just one part: canapé tapas with the drinks, table tapas, paella for the wedding breakfast, evening food and desserts. We cook canapé tapas, table tapas and evening paella, and we are frequently booked for relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts and spanish-themed and destination-style weddings.
Rural weddings around Chelsham have a magic of their own, and paella cooking in the open air adds to it. Plan for access and a wet-weather cover. Timings are planned around your event, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Planning the cooking area
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Table tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Evening paella
- Sangria & bar staff
- Dessert
- Canapé tapas
Chelsham questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary the Virgin?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Is Chelsham too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
How far ahead should we book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Even if it is short notice, it’s worth asking.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance so the paella is ready when you want it.
Is halal food available?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and 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.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
How much does wedding paella catering cost in Chelsham?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we will reply with a price.
Why choose wedding paella catering in Chelsham?
Mixed diets are easy, which matters with a big guest list.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Chelsham, people book us for occasions like:
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
- Evening food for extra guests
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Receptions after an intimate ceremony
Nearby historic houses include Addington Palace (3 miles north) and Titsey Place (3.3 miles south-east). Historic houses and estates often have their own rules on caterers and cooking, so check early if that’s your venue.
Before you book anyone
- How each diet is kept separate
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Staff numbers and hours
- The venue requirements
Should I cook it myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Chelsham weddings: local tips
Chelsham is about 3 miles north-east of Caterham, in Surrey. Tell us where your wedding in Chelsham will be, and we’ll plan access and set-up before the day. Chelsham is one of 395 places in Surrey where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Chelsham to London (about 13 miles away).
Couples marrying at local churches such as Church of St Mary the Virgin often hold the reception nearby: the paella can be cooking while you have photos taken, so the meal is ready when you arrive. Nore Hill nearby makes a lovely backdrop for photos, and the countryside around Chelsham suits an outdoor reception.
Wherever your wedding is in CR6, we can cook for your guests. Local streets include Chelsham Common and Chelsham Road; a wedding at home on any of them works well with live paella. For weddings just outside Chelsham, we cover Farleigh (1 mile north), Warlingham (1 mile west), Hamsey Green (1 mile west), Fickleshole (1 mile north-east) and New Addington (2 miles north). We also cook in nearby towns such as Epsom (10 miles west), Horley (11 miles south-west), Redhill (8 miles south-west), Ewell (10 miles west), Reigate (9 miles south-west) and Caterham (3 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Warlingham Park Hospital (less than half a mile north) and East Surrey Museum (3 miles south-west). The countryside around Chelsham includes Hutchinson's Bank and Nore Hill.
- Schools near Chelsham include Warlingham School (1.6 miles west)
- Local pubs include Hare & Hounds pub (0.7 miles south-west)
Organising for someone else?
Organising a club, school or community event in Chelsham? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
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.
Why choose live paella in Chelsham?
Buffets can mean food sitting for a while. Paella goes straight from pan to plate. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why book with us
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Fast service from the pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Read Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
What happens on the day
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Guests typically gather round to watch while it cooks. In Chelsham, midsummer sunset is about 9:20pm, and by late September it’s nearer 7:05pm, which means evening paella is normally served in daylight in June and July. For autumn and winter weddings, when it is dark by about 3:55pm in December, plan lighting for the cooking area.
- Share your date, venue, numbers and plans for the day.
- Together we plan each course and confirm the price.
- Timings are agreed with you and the venue, around speeches and photos.
- We cook live on the day and serve every course on cue.
- Afterwards we clear our area; any staff you’ve booked stay as planned.
Getting ready for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Getting a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Related guides
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Book early for summer Saturdays
- Tell us how many evening guests to expect
- Ask whether your venue allows outside caterers
- Decide whether guests queue at the pans or are served at the tables
Guests can queue at the pans, or staff can serve the tables, whichever suits your day.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available.
Places near Chelsham
What else we do in Chelsham
What’s in the pans
Paella wedding breakfast
A choice of paellas, served at the pans or to the tables.
Evening paella
Evening paella is hot, filling and fun.
- 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