West Sussex · England
Wedding paella catering in East Dean, West Sussex
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food for events in East Dean and across West Sussex.
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Weddings with a Spanish theme
Planning an event in East Dean?
Wedding paella catering in East Dean, made fresh on the day
A wedding paella is food and entertainment at once. Guests wander over to watch while the photos are taken, and the meal arrives hot and generous. Popular choices include canapé tapas, table tapas and Spanish desserts, and we are regularly asked to cater spanish-themed and destination-style weddings and wedding receptions after a small ceremony.
Near East Dean, weddings are often in fields, barns or gardens. Live paella is made for that: no kitchen needed, just a level, sheltered spot. Let us know about access and ground. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
- Where
- East Dean (PO18)
- County
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
How the day works
When we arrive, 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. At midsummer, sunset in East Dean is about 9:20pm, which helps us time evening food around your photos. In late May, sunset is about 8:50pm, and in late September about 7:05pm.
- First, we check your date.
- You choose canapés, tapas, paellas and desserts.
- We confirm the plan with your coordinator.
- Guests watch the paella cook during the reception.
- We serve and clear our cooking area.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
Ask for a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, use our quote form.
Planning help
Organising for someone else?
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Other catering in East Dean
Dietary needs and planning tips
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Decide whether guests queue at the pans or are served at the tables
- Include any suppliers you’re feeding
- Put us in touch with your venue
- Give us separate day and evening numbers
Evening guests can be served from fresh pans later on, normally timed after the first dance.
Table tapas make a sociable starter.
A closer look at the menu
Evening paella
A second round of paella for the evening, served quickly so the party keeps going.
Paella wedding breakfast
The main event: paellas for every diet, served hot and generous.
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Questions from East Dean
Do you come out to small places like East Dean?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Do you cater in the South Downs National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
What about pudding?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
How far ahead should we book?
The sooner the better. Peak dates go quickly, so it pays to ask early.
Can you cater the whole day?
Any part of the day, or all of it, from the drinks reception to the evening.
Should we have more than one paella?
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.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
Events we cater in East Dean
It works as a wedding breakfast or evening food, so it fits any plan.
Whatever you’re celebrating in East Dean, live paella can be the centrepiece. We frequently cook for:
- Informal wedding breakfasts
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
- Weddings with a Spanish theme
- Rustic barn weddings
Nearby historic houses include West Dean House (2.6 miles west) and Goodwood House (2.9 miles south-west). Historic houses and estates frequently have their own rules on caterers and cooking, so check early if that is your venue.
Before you book anyone
- Whether VAT is included
- Who provides the crockery
- The deposit and payment dates
- Staff numbers and hours
Before you choose a spot
Every venue is different, so we’ll ask about yours when you contact us. Generally, we look for:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Menu ideas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Dessert
- Sangria & bar staff
- Evening paella
- Table tapas
- Canapé tapas
Prices and what affects them
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Guest numbers
Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Anything your venue supplies
- The date and time of the event
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A picture of where we’d cook
Planning wedding paella catering in East Dean? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. To get in touch, fill in our quote form.
Weddings in East Dean: venues, ceremonies and travel
East Dean is about 6 miles north-east of Chichester, in West Sussex. Give us the address of your wedding in East Dean, and we will plan access and set-up. We cater in all 371 towns and villages in West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from East Dean to Guildford (24 miles away).
If you’re marrying at a church near East Dean, such as The Parish Church of All Saints, a reception in a garden, marquee or hired venue nearby keeps the day flowing: we can be cooking during the photos, so it’s ready as guests arrive. For outdoor photos, Levin Down is close by. With the South Downs National Park within about 6 miles, there are country venues, barns and gardens nearby. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue.
Here we cover the PO18 postcode area, and we can cater your wedding anywhere in it. That could mean a wedding in a garden on Main Road, Chapel Row and Charlton Road. If your venue is just outside East Dean, we also cover Charlton (1 mile west), Singleton (2 miles west), West Dean (3 miles west), Heyshott (3 miles north) and Cocking (3 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Worthing (15 miles south-east), Bognor Regis (8 miles south), Chichester (6 miles south-west), Selsey (13 miles south), Littlehampton (11 miles south-east) and Emsworth (10 miles south-west).
A little further out are Weald and Downland Gridshell (1.8 miles west) and Chichester Centre (5 miles south-west). Open spaces near East Dean include Graffham Common and Levin Down.
- Pubs nearby include The Star And Garter Public House (within half a mile south)
- 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