Hampshire · England
Festival Paella Catering for Horndean events
We cook paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events across Horndean and Hampshire, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Open days
- Crew, volunteer and VIP catering
- Sports club events
Festival paella catering in Horndean
Horndean: your questions answered
How far is Horndean from London?
Roughly 57 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you cook at venues in the South Downs National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
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.
How quickly can you serve?
Big batches and service from the pan keep things moving.
Do you do crew catering?
Yes, timed to your schedule. Send us numbers and times.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
Can you cater for children?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is usually popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
Festival paella catering in Horndean, made fresh on the day
Few street foods pull a crowd like a giant paella pan. The sight and smell of it cooking brings people over, and portions are served quickly from the pan. Whether it is festivals and summer fairs and fêtes, we’ll put together a menu of giant-pan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella and more.
In Horndean, a good food stall can make an event. Paella covers meat, seafood and vegan in one pitch. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it’s hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
Event catering near Horndean
Horndean is about 7 miles north-east of Portsmouth, in Hampshire. Tell us where your event in Horndean will be, and we’ll plan access and set-up before the day. Horndean is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Horndean to Southampton (about 17 miles away).
If you are organising a summer fair or fundraiser for a school such as Horndean Technology College, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For visitors coming by rail, Rowlands Castle station is about 2.6 miles away. Within about 8 miles is the South Downs National Park, where events may have extra rules on vehicles and waste; we’ll follow the site’s requirements.
Wherever your event is in PO8 and PO7, we can cook for your guests. We can cater an event on streets such as London Road, Kings Mede and Causeway Farm or the roads around them. Main roads around Horndean include the A3 and A3(M), so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. If your venue is just outside Horndean, we also cover Lovedean (1 mile west), Wecock Farm (1 mile south-west), Catherington (2 miles north), Anmore (2 miles west) and Denmead (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Gosport (9 miles south-west), Havant (3 miles south), Eastleigh (15 miles west), Fareham (9 miles south-west), Hedge End (13 miles west) and Petersfield (7 miles north-east). Being one of Hampshire’s larger places, Horndean has plenty of venues and gardens for events.
Well-known places in the area include Havant War Memorial Hospital (3.8 miles south) and Clanfield Earthwork (3 miles north-east). The countryside around Horndean includes Windmill Hill and Southmoor Nature Reserve.
- Local schools include Horndean Infant School (0.5 miles north-east)
- Local pubs include Red Lion Inn (0.7 miles north-east)
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Hot-cabinet food lacks theatre. Paella cooking in full view sells itself. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why book with us
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Drinks service on request
- Real theatre, not just catering
Read How we price And What paella catering costs.
Working with your venue
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Catering for every guest
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Make allergen information visible at every stall
- Check how many portions traders can serve
- Give traders a single information pack
- Check traders’ packaging and waste plans
We keep our pitch tidy and safe.
Larger pans for peak times.
Step by step
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell usually draws people over. For an evening event in Horndean, sunset is about 8:55pm in late May and 9:20pm in late June; after that, the pitch needs good lighting.
- You send us the event, dates and pitch details.
- We confirm what we will serve, our pitch needs and any paperwork.
- On the day, we arrive and set up our pitch.
- Pans cook in full view and we serve throughout the event.
- At the end, we clear our pitch.
Preparing for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
How to get a price
Send us the date, your venue or PO8 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
What festival paella catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Distance and access to the venue
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Whether you need crockery
- How long we’re needed on site
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What we need to know
These details help us quote quickly:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Roughly how many adults and children
It’s easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Should I cook it myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Places near Horndean
Also in Horndean
A closer look at the menu
Giant paella pans
It is the huge pan people come to see.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid for fish lovers.
Space, weather and the venue
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Spacing from tents and other structures
- Flat, firm ground
- Pitch space for cooking and serving
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Menu ideas
- Vegan paella
- Giant paella pans
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Tapas
- Churros
- 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