Reading · England
Paella Catering in Arborfield Garrison
Something for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Arborfield Garrison.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Big birthdays
- Company summer parties
Planning an event in Arborfield Garrison?
Where we can cook in Arborfield Garrison
We will be honest if a space will not work. The main points are:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Arborfield Garrison
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
Paella catering in Arborfield Garrison, cooked live
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is what we bring to events in Arborfield Garrison. Typical bookings include garden parties and summer barbecues and retirement and leaving parties, serving seafood paella, vegetable paella and mixed paella.
In a smaller place like Arborfield Garrison, a garden party is often the simplest option: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Let us know about access to the house. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Places near Arborfield Garrison
What else we do in Arborfield Garrison
How the day works
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. Around midsummer it stays light in Arborfield Garrison until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Before we arrive
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
Ask for a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Related guides
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
FAQs for Arborfield Garrison
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Eligius?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Could we have live paella in Shepperlands Farm Nature Reserve?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Do you cater for young children?
Children are welcome. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan for them.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Do you cover Arborfield Garrison?
We do. We cook at events in Arborfield Garrison and across Reading. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
What is live paella catering?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
How long do you need on site?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance so the paella is ready when you want it.
Can you cook in the rain?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We’ll talk it through before the day.
What affects the price in Arborfield Garrison
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Travel, parking and access
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- How many staff you need
- How long we are needed on site
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Details that help
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Which courses you have in mind
- Where the event is
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Occasions we cook for in Arborfield Garrison
Live paella is food and a show in one. The pans become a focal point, and the food is hot and generous.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Retirement celebrations
- Big birthdays
- Summer garden parties
Nearby historic houses include Stratfield Saye House (4.8 miles south-west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
Comparing caterers
- VAT, if it applies
- How each diet is kept separate
- The venue requirements
- When payment is due
Is live paella right for your event?
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. 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.
Why us?
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Read How we price And The cost guide.
Live paella in Arborfield Garrison: local details
Arborfield Garrison is about 3 miles south-west of Wokingham, in Reading. For an event in Arborfield Garrison, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Arborfield Garrison. We cater in all 34 towns and villages across Reading. Our events stretch from Arborfield Garrison to Reading (6 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Wokingham station, about 3.2 miles north-east. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Bohunt School Wokingham, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Paella catering in RG2 and RG40 is planned around your venue and timings. Local streets include Rowcroft Road, Lance Way and Infirmary Court; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Nearby, we also cater events in Langley Common (1 mile north), California (1 mile east), Barkham (1 mile north-east), Eversley (2 miles south) and Lower Common (2 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Caversham (7 miles north-west), Norcot (8 miles north-west), West Reading (6 miles north-west), Tilehurst Within (8 miles north-west), Shinfield (3 miles north-west) and Caversham Heights (8 miles north-west). Being one of Reading’s larger places, Arborfield Garrison has plenty of venues and gardens for events.
Other landmarks nearby include Wokingham Hospital (3 miles north-east) and Beaumys Castle (3.6 miles west). Open spaces near Arborfield Garrison include The Marshes Local Nature Reserve and Horseshoe Lake.
- Schools near Arborfield Garrison include Farley Hill Primary School (1 mile south-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Bramshill Hunt pub (less than half a mile north-west)
Catering for every guest
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Tell us what else is being served
- Request clear labels at the serving table
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue does not provide them.
For planners, venues and organisers
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
- 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