Surrey · England
Wedding Paella Catering in The Chart
Bring the theatre of live paella to your wedding in The Chart. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Marquee and garden weddings
- Weddings with a Spanish theme
- Barn and farm weddings
Wedding paella catering in The Chart
Wedding paella catering in The Chart, cooked live
Paella has a natural rhythm: the rice needs about 20 minutes and is best served immediately. We plan it around your speeches and photos. We cook table tapas, evening paella and Spanish desserts, and we are regularly asked to cater destination-style celebrations at home and informal wedding breakfasts.
There’s something special about a country wedding near The Chart, and paella cooking in the open air adds to it. Plan access and cover in case of rain. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Step by step
We work to your timings. If things run behind, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is still served fresh. At midsummer, sunset in The Chart is about 9:20pm, 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 plan a menu with you, course by course, and confirm a quote.
- We agree timings with you and your venue, including speeches and photos.
- On the day we set up, cook live and serve each course as planned.
- We pack down our cooking area, with staff staying as long as agreed.
How to prepare
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Getting a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we are available that day.
Related guides
The Chart weddings: local tips
The Chart is about 6 miles south-east of Caterham, in Surrey. From the centre of The Chart to the outskirts, wedding paella catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. The Chart is one of 395 places in Surrey where we cook. You can also see our page for London, about 18 miles away.
For guests travelling by train, the nearest station is Hurst Green station, about 1.6 miles west. Couples marrying at local churches such as St Andrew's frequently hold the reception nearby: the paella can be cooking while you have photos taken, so the meal is ready when you arrive.
This part of Surrey takes in RH8, so your wedding can be anywhere in it. Whether your wedding is on Stoneleigh Road, St Andrews Way and Ridlands Lane or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. Neighbouring places where we cater weddings include Pains-Hill (1 mile west), Moorhouse Bank (1 mile north-east), Goodley Stock (1 mile east), Limpsfield (1 mile north-west) and Crockham Hill (1 mile south-east). Further out, we also cater in Epsom (15 miles north-west), Horley (10 miles south-west), Redhill (9 miles west), Ewell (15 miles north-west), Reigate (10 miles west) and Caterham (6 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Tandridge Priory (0.6 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Botley Hill and Bay Pond.
- Schools near The Chart include Hazelwood School (1.3 miles west) and Oxted School (1.9 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include Carpenters Arms (less than half a mile south)
Catering for every guest
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Send us the running order and speech times
- Decide whether guests queue at the pans or are served at the tables
- Tell us how many evening guests to expect
- Let us know about meals for your band or photographer
If speeches or photos run over, tell us, and we will adjust the cooking so the paella is served at its best.
Sangria and bar staff can be added.
DIY paella versus live catering
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Occasions we cook for in The Chart
It handles mixed diets without fuss, which matters with a big guest list.
Here are some of the events we cook for in The Chart and Surrey:
- Rustic barn weddings
- Marquee and garden weddings
- Parties after a register office wedding
- Informal wedding breakfasts
Botley Hill nearby makes a lovely backdrop for photos.
What to look for in a quote
- Staff numbers and hours
- How each diet is kept separate
- Space, access and power needs
- When payment is due
Organising for someone else?
If you are organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
How we price wedding paella catering
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Timings and hours
- How many staff you need
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Details that help
To check availability and price, we need:
- Where the event is
- Anything your venue supplies
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Which courses you have in mind
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Why choose live paella in The Chart?
Choosing between paella and a traditional menu?, consider your venue, diets and the style you want. The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What you get with us
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
See How we price And The cost guide.
Your questions about wedding paella catering in The Chart
Which station should guests use for The Chart?
The closest is Hurst Green station, roughly 1.6 miles away.
Do you come out to small places like The Chart?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you feed our photographer and band?
Yes. Add your suppliers to the final numbers and we will plan for them.
How long do you need on site?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Can we have a tasting?
Ask us when you enquire and we’ll explain the options.
What if our speeches run late?
Tell us and we’ll adjust. We keep in touch with your venue on the day so the paella is served fresh.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Where do you cater?
We cover London and the South East, including Surrey. See all areas.
About the dishes
Evening paella
A second round of paella for the evening, quick to serve and filling.
Canapé tapas
One- and two-bite tapas on boards, ideal for the drinks reception.
Towns and villages near The Chart
Also in The Chart
- 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