Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Abbotts Ann, Hampshire
Planning paella catering in Abbotts Ann? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Weddings and evening receptions
Paella catering in Abbotts Ann
About our paella catering in Abbotts Ann
One cooking area feeds a lot of people, very little goes to waste, and the food is served hot. That’s why it works for so many events. We’re often asked to cater garden parties and summer barbecues and birthday celebrations, with paella Valenciana, mixed paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
In a small place like Abbotts Ann, events are generally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Is live paella right for your event?
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before you book.
What you get with us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
Take a look at Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Paella catering around Abbotts Ann
Abbotts Ann is about 3 miles south-west of Andover, in Hampshire. Whether your event is in the middle of Abbotts Ann or on the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Abbotts Ann is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire we cover. Our events stretch from Abbotts Ann to Southampton (about 20 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Andover station is about 2.3 miles away. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Abbotts Ann Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
We cover events in every part of SP11 and the streets around it. Whether your event is on Catherines Walk, Duck Street and Manor Close or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. Other places close to Abbotts Ann for paella catering include Little Ann (1 mile east), Red Rice (1 mile south-east), Anna Valley (1 mile east), Monxton (1 mile north-west) and Amport (2 miles west). Further out, we also cater in Winchester (13 miles south-east), Andover (3 miles north-east), Chandler's Ford (15 miles south-east), Romsey (14 miles south), Hyde (12 miles south-east) and Tidworth (7 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Andover Museum (2.7 miles north-east) and Andover War Memorial Hospital (2.4 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Mill Lake and Quarley Hill.
- Local schools include Redrice School (1.2 miles south-east) and John Hanson Community School (1.6 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Eagle pub (less than half a mile north-west)
What’s in the pans
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
The process
Here’s how the day usually runs: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and it is served hot from the pan when you are ready to eat. Around midsummer it stays light in Abbotts Ann until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
How to get a price
Send us the date, your venue or SP11 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Abbotts Ann: your questions answered
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Mary the Virgin: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Is Abbotts Ann too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
How does live paella catering work?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve when you are ready to eat.
What areas do you cover?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Abbotts Ann.
What about pudding?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Tell us what you have in mind when you ask for a quote.
Is halal food available?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it is cooked separately.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
Events we cater in Abbotts Ann
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, thanks to separate pans for each version. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
These are some of the occasions we cater:
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Retirement celebrations
- Anniversary celebrations
- Garden get-togethers
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Mary the Virgin, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
What your quote should include
- If the price includes VAT
- How late numbers can change
- The venue requirements
- Allergen information for each dish
Towns and villages near Abbotts Ann
Also in Abbotts Ann
Catering for every guest
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Tell us what else is being served
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Give us separate numbers for children
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If timings shift, we adapt.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Prices and what affects them
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- The number of people
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What to tell us
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- Expected numbers
- A picture of the space, if you can
- The date and time of the event
- Any dietary needs and allergies
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, fill in our quote form.
Where we can cook in Abbotts Ann
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
On the menu in Abbotts Ann
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- 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