Hampshire · England
Festival & event paella in Houghton, Hampshire
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Houghton. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Community events and open days
- Christmas and farmers’ markets
- Music and food festivals
Festival paella catering near Houghton
Why choose festival paella catering in Houghton?
Crew love a hot meal.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We often cook for:
- Open days
- Festivals
- Crew, volunteer and VIP catering
- Charity and school events
For visitors coming by rail, Mottisfont & Dunbridge station is about 3.8 miles away.
What your quote should include
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- What happens if it rains
- Whether VAT is included
- A clear list of what’s included
Festival paella catering in Houghton, made fresh on the day
Because paella is cooked in big batches, it handles lunchtime rushes well. Portions are served in seconds. We cook chicken and chorizo paella, giant-pan paella and vegan paella, and we’re frequently booked for community events and open days and VIP and hospitality areas.
Rural events near Houghton can be a long way from food outlets, so a paella stall is a welcome sight. You’ll know exactly what’s included before booking: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
What festival paella catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- How many staff you need
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- The paellas you choose
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What to tell us
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- The date and time of the event
- Where the event is
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Expected numbers
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
DIY paella versus live catering
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
About the dishes
Seafood paella
The seafood pan is a festival favourite.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Smoky and filling.
Towns and villages near Houghton
Also in Houghton
Planning for every diet
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Ensure the line-up includes vegan and gluten-free options
- Provide seating near the food
- Check how many portions traders can serve
- Ask for allergen information at each stall
If crew or volunteer meals are booked, they’re served at the agreed times.
Bowls and forks for eating on the go.
Community events around Houghton
Houghton is about 6 miles north of Romsey, in Hampshire. Give us the address of your event in Houghton, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. Houghton is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. Our events stretch from Houghton to Southampton (13 miles away).
School fairs, for a school like Test Valley School, are a natural fit for a paella stall. For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Church of All Saints, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola.
Here we cover the SO20 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. From Kents Orchard, Houghton Farm Close and Stevens Drove or a nearby road, we can cook there. Close by, we cover events in Horsebridge (1 mile south-east), Broughton (2 miles west), Stonymarsh (3 miles south), Mottisfont (3 miles south) and Michelmersh (4 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Winchester (9 miles east), Eastleigh (11 miles south-east), Andover (9 miles north), Totton (12 miles south), Chandler's Ford (9 miles south-east) and Hedge End (15 miles south-east).
- Nearby, you will find The Boot Inn (less than half a mile north)
Your questions about festival paella catering in Houghton
Do you trade at school fairs around Houghton?
Yes, with the school’s permission. Tell us the date and pitch details.
How far is Houghton from London?
Roughly 68 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Will there be long queues?
Paella is cooked in big batches and served from the pan, so service is quick.
How much space do you need?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
What paperwork do you provide?
Share your trader requirements and we’ll respond.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Can we book you as a trader?
Tell us about your event, and we’ll reply with our availability and what we need.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
What happens on the day
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. At midsummer, events in Houghton stay light until about 9:25pm, which helps evening trading. For winter markets, dark by about 4:00pm, the pitch needs lighting.
- It starts with your event details and pitch information.
- You get our menu, pitch requirements and paperwork.
- On the day, we arrive and set up our pitch.
- We cook in front of the crowd and serve from the pan all event.
- At the end, we clear our pitch.
Preparing for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
Getting a price
Send us the date, your venue or SO20 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Space, weather and the venue
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Clear information on power, water and waste
- Room for our cooking and serving area
- Firm, level ground
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Houghton
- Tapas
- Churros
- Giant paella pans
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
Planners, venues and businesses
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
If you’re organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
- 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