Southampton · England
Festival Paella Catering for Sholing events
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Sholing and the surrounding area.
- Open days and community events
- Feeding crew and volunteers
- Sports clubs and race days
Festival paella catering in Sholing
About our festival paella catering in Sholing
Nothing draws a festival crowd like a giant paella. People follow the smell, and portions are served quickly from the pan. We cook giant-pan paella, seafood paella and vegan paella, and typical bookings are for christmas and farmers’ markets and festivals.
Around Sholing, a fête or summer fair suits a huge paella pan. Tell us about the pitch, ground and access. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
- Area
- Sholing (SO19)
- County
- Southampton
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
How the day works
Service is quick: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. For an evening event in Sholing, sunset is about 8:55pm in late May and 9:25pm in late June; after that, the pitch needs good lighting.
- Tell us about the event, the crowd and the pitch.
- We reply with our menu, prices for visitors and requirements.
- Paperwork goes over in good time.
- On the day, the pans are on before the busiest hours.
- At close, we pack down and tidy up.
Getting ready for the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
Get a quote
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Sholing, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Planning help
Planners, venues and businesses
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Hosting a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Your questions about festival paella catering in Sholing
Can you cook at venues in the New Forest National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will follow the site rules.
What about events near the coast?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Can you cater for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan for them.
What happens if it rains?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will talk it through before the day.
Is there a vegan option?
Yes. A vegan paella pan sits alongside the meat and seafood pans.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
How much is live paella catering?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we’ll send a quote.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegan paella
Vegans get a hot, filling dish.
Giant paella pans
The giant pan is the star.
Catering for every guest
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Plan for vegan and gluten-free visitors
- Give traders a single information pack
- Plan seating near the food area
- Book crew catering in advance
Allergen information is available at the stall, and each pan is labelled.
Bowl food for easy eating on the move.
Paella compared with other options
Food that sits in a hot cabinet is not much to look at. Paella cooking in full view sells itself. Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why choose Love Paella in Sholing
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
Read How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Before you choose a spot
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Vehicle access before and after the event
- The event’s site rules and timings
- Flat, firm ground
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
Menu ideas
- Giant paella pans
- Tapas
- Vegan paella
- Churros
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
What affects the price in Sholing
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- The length of service
- Guest numbers
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Whether you need crockery
Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What we need to know
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. To start, use our quote form.
Who books festival paella catering in Sholing?
It brings theatre to the food court.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. In Sholing, people book us for events such as:
- Feeding crew and volunteers
- Village fêtes and summer fairs
- Food and music festivals
- Sports clubs and race days
School fairs, for a school like St Monica Primary School, are a natural fit for a paella stall.
Comparing caterers
- Travel and parking costs
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Who provides the crockery
- The deposit and payment dates
Event catering near Sholing
Sholing is about 2 miles south-east of Southampton, in Southampton. Events in Sholing are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Sholing is one of 40 places in Southampton where we cook.
If your event is in Westwood Woodland Park, the organiser will need the landowner’s permission; we’ll supply our paperwork. For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. Within about 8 miles is the New Forest National Park, where events may have extra rules on vehicles and waste; we will follow the site’s requirements. With the sea within about 2 miles, we plan shelter from the wind for coastal events, and seafood paella sells well by the sea.
Festival paella catering in SO19 is planned around your venue. Whether your event is on Bay Road, Ashby Road and Loane Road or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. Sholing sits on or near the A3025, which makes travel to your event easy. Other places close to Sholing for festival paella catering include Itchen (1 mile west), Thornhill (1 mile north-east), Bitterne (1 mile north), Peartree Green (1 mile west) and Northam (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cater in Shirley (4 miles north-west), Regents Park (4 miles west), Maybush (5 miles north-west), Coxford (4 miles north-west), Freemantle (3 miles west) and Lordswood (4 miles north-west). Being one of Southampton’s larger places, Sholing has plenty of venues and gardens for events.
A little further out are Netley Castle (1.6 miles south) and Marlands Shopping Centre (2.3 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Netley Common.
- Schools near Sholing include Oasis Academy Sholing (under half a mile north) and Woolston School (0.6 miles south-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Red Lion pub (1 mile north)
Places near Sholing
Also in Sholing
- 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