Member Spotlight: Crocus Paella

There’s something magical about the sizzle of a paella pan, the aroma of saffron-infused rice mingling with fresh seafood or seasonal vegetables, and the promise of a meal cooked with generations of knowledge behind it. For Crocus Paella, this isn’t just catering, it’s a family tradition transported from the heart of Spain to events across the South of the UK. Based in Brighton, this family-run mobile catering business brings vibrant Spanish flavours to any occasion, cooking fresh paella on-site for gatherings ranging from 50 to 1,000 guests.

We sat down with Nick Costaras from Crocus Paella to discover how they’re keeping Spanish culinary heritage alive, one perfectly cooked grain of rice at a time.

Take us back to where it all started and why you launched your own business

Back in 2012 I was at my desk in Athens, desperate for a change. I stumbled across a book about street food called The Street Food Revolution by Richard Johnson, bought it, and got totally fired up by the stories. My partner Yana and I started talking seriously about a fresh start in Brighton; it’s where I was born and I’ve got family there, so it felt right. Five months after reading the book we moved, and another five months later we launched Crocus Paella. Our first market was in April 2013 and unbelievably, Richard Johnson was invited to that market. We met him on our very first day of trading, which was pretty surreal and a real full-circle moment. We’ve been rolling ever since.

What inspired you to choose food as a livelihood?

I love cooking and chasing new flavours. I’d never worked in catering before, so it felt like a clean slate and a proper adventure. The idea of creating something and seeing people enjoy it was and still is super exciting!

What do you love about working in the sector?

Feeding people and seeing that instant happiness never gets old. And the community, the traders, organisers, chefs, suppliers, there are so many brilliant people. A lot of them have become close friends.

What do you find most challenging about the sector?

High taxes squeeze the margins, and finding good staff (and keeping them!) is tough for independents. Add in rising costs and seasonality and you’ve got to be very sharp with planning and cashflow.

Was there a moment when things started to click, when you realised your business was really growing?

I think it was when my partner Yana decided to quit her job to work full-time on Crocus Paella. For the first year it was mainly just me, and Yana helped on weekends and evenings. But after about a year, we realised the business could actually support both of us, so we decided to go all in. That was back in 2014, right when street food was booming. Looking back, the timing was perfect. If we were making that decision today, I think it would be a lot harder.

What do you hope the future holds for the business?

We’re 12 years in and still evolving. The plan is to keep innovating new products and services, while staying true to what we do best, mobile catering. We’re open to new opportunities if they stack up and we have the capacity. Sensible growth, strong standards, happy customers.

Name a song you can’t help but dance in the kitchen to

Lately it’s “You Can Call Me Al” by Paul Simon. Heard it randomly on the radio a few weeks ago and now it’s on repeat—instant mood lift.

Guilty food pleasure

Pastel de nata. I try to go easy on gluten as it doesn’t agree with me, but put a freshly baked pastel de nata in front of me and I’m all in. I’ll pay for it later!

Top highlights from your career

Early on, when we first started doing big festivals, it felt massive. We’d paid a chunky pitch fee up front and the business was wobbling a bit, so much was riding on one weekend. The event went well and I remember getting really emotional, thinking, “We’ve made it,” and feeling proud of the graft we’d put in. I’m equally proud of creating the Happy Go Souvlaki brand with my best friend and now equal business partner George. Seeing both brands stand on their own is a big one for me.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing?

I’m not a trained chef, I just love food and cooking. If I wasn’t in hospitality, I’d still be running a business of some kind. Since starting Crocus Paella I’ve realised I love the business side just as much: building brands, numbers, strategy, the lot.

What would your advice be to start-ups?

Build a solid business plan and really know your numbers. If that’s not your strength, invest time in learning or partner with someone who can cover those gaps. Test small, listen to feedback and watch your cashflow.

Also, you have to be proactive, don’t sit back and hope work finds you. Get out there, knock on doors, network, follow up, and look for opportunities others haven’t spotted yet. Define the kind of work that suits your business, then chase it. Introduce yourself to venues and planners, share a simple deck with great photos and clear pricing, ask for testimonials, and keep showing up. Momentum comes from consistency.

Favourite independents to eat at on your day off

I’m Brighton based, so a couple of local favourites are, Palmito, it has become my new obsession, fantastic flavours. And for fish, Riddle & Finns is always a treat.

Why is independent hospitality so special?

Independents are personal. You can taste the story, heritage recipes, local suppliers, the quirks and care that chains can’t replicate. We take risks, we adapt fast, and we put our names on the line every service. That connection with guests, face to face, is what makes this industry feel alive.

What’s the hardest part about finding consistent bookings in your industry right now?

Seasonality is a big one for us. There are a lot more enquiries in summer than in winter, which can be tough when you’ve still got bills and staff to pay through the quieter months. You really have to think outside the box and find opportunities you can rely on that are different from the summer work. That might mean collaborating with venues, corporate or community events that still run through the colder months. Consistency takes creativity in this industry.

We’ve just started a partnership with Add to Event, what’s been your biggest win with them so far?

Quite a few wins, to be honest. We’ve been working with Add to Event from very early on and have booked many events through the platform. It was actually through Add to Event that we started exploring the private event side of the business, which opened up a whole new world of opportunities. So, the biggest win wasn’t just a single event — it was the fact that the platform helped us diversify and build a strong foundation in private catering, which has become a key part of our business today.

Managing social media and marketing responsibilities can be difficult – how do you juggle this with the day-to-day running of your business? Do you have any guidance for anyone struggling to get started with their social media presence or brand-building?

I’m not a big fan of social media myself, but I completely understand how vital it is for the business. Over the years, different team members have taken turns managing our social channels, but after a while everyone realises it’s not something they want to handle long-term. These days we outsource most of our content to a local freelancer who really understands what we do. The result is much more consistent and professional, and it frees us up to focus on what we enjoy and do best.

For anyone just starting out, if you understand the basics and enjoy creating content, great, go for it. But if it’s not your thing, I’d suggest finding someone local (rather than a big agency, which can be costly) who gets your business and can help you manage it. You can always split tasks to save costs, for example, you handle the day-to-day updates and they manage the creative direction and posting schedule. It’s all about finding a system that works for you and keeps your brand active without becoming a burden.

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