Hampshire · England
Festival & event paella in Ashurst, Hampshire
Paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Ashurst: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Music and food festivals
- Christmas and farmers’ markets
- Open days
Live festival paella catering in Ashurst
Fairs, fêtes and events in Ashurst
Ashurst is about 2 miles south of Totton, in Hampshire. For an event in Ashurst, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Ashurst is one of 683 places in Hampshire we cover. Our events stretch from Ashurst to Southampton (about 6 miles away).
For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Colbury Christ Church, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. School fairs, for a school like Foxhills Infant School, are a natural fit for a paella stall. Events in and around the New Forest National Park, within about 4 miles of Ashurst, frequently have rules about vehicles, ground and waste; we will follow the site’s requirements. The coast is within about 6 miles of Ashurst, so for seaside events we plan a sheltered pitch, and seafood paella sells well by the sea.
We cover events in every part of the SO40 postcode area. From Ash Grove, Cecil Avenue and Dene Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. For events just outside Ashurst, we cover Colbury (1 mile east), Lyndhurst (3 miles south-west), Emery Down (4 miles south-west), Balmerlawn (5 miles south) and Brockenhurst (6 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Winchester (14 miles north-east), Eastleigh (9 miles north-east), Fareham (14 miles east), Chandler's Ford (8 miles north-east), Hedge End (9 miles east) and Lymington (10 miles south).
Well-known places in the area include Ashurst Hospital (0.6 miles south-west) and National Dairy Museum (0.5 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Testwood Lakes.
- Local schools include Hounsdown School (1.2 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you will find The Forest Inn (less than half a mile south-east)
How our festival paella catering works in Ashurst
The cooking is part of the show. Visitors stop to watch, take photos and come back for lunch. We cook churros, vegan paella and seafood paella, and we are often booked for christmas and farmers’ markets and open days.
A fête near Ashurst might be on a field with no mains power; tell us what’s available and we will plan around it. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
Ashurst questions
Do you come out to small places like Ashurst?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Can you run a stall at a school fair in Ashurst?
Yes, with the school’s permission. Send us the date, pitch and expected numbers.
Do you need power?
Tell us what’s available at the pitch and we will confirm what we need.
Will there be long queues?
Paella is cooked in big batches and served from the pan, so service is quick.
Do you cook it at the event?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook on the day, serving it hot from the pan.
Can you cook in the rain?
We cook under cover, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a photo if you are not sure.
Do you have the documents we need?
Send your requirements and we will include them with our application.
Places near Ashurst
Also in Ashurst
About the dishes
Seafood paella
The seafood pan is a festival favourite.
Chicken & chorizo paella
A hearty, smoky pan.
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Ask for allergen information at each stall
- Check how many portions traders can serve
- Put picnic tables near the traders
- Check traders’ packaging and waste plans
Allergen details are available at the stall, and each pan is labelled.
Tapas and churros can be added to a stall menu.
Why choose live paella in Ashurst?
For crew catering, sandwiches are easy but uninspiring. A hot paella keeps crew going. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
What you get with us
- Sangria and bar staff available
- A quote that spells everything out
- Fast service from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
See How we price Or The cost guide.
The process
We work to your timings. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we hold the paella at the right stage so it’s served at its best. Summer events in Ashurst have daylight until about 9:25pm at midsummer and about 7:10pm by late September, which helps evening trading. Winter markets, dark by about 4:00pm, need a well-lit pitch.
- Tell us about the event and pitch.
- We send our menu, needs and paperwork.
- We arrive and set up at the agreed time.
- We cook and serve throughout.
- We pack down and tidy the pitch.
Getting ready for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
Ask for a quote
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Where we can cook in Ashurst
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- Clear information on power, water and waste
- Vehicle access before and after the event
- Clearance from tents and gazebos
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
What we offer
- Seafood paella
- Giant paella pans
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Churros
- Tapas
- Vegan paella
DIY paella versus live catering
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
What affects the price in Ashurst
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Whether you need crockery
- How many guests are eating
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What to tell us
These details help us quote quickly:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A picture of the space, if you can
- The venue or postcode
- Roughly how many adults and children
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
Planners, venues and businesses
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
- 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