Oxfordshire · England
Live paella catering in Ardington, Oxfordshire
Looking for paella catering in Ardington? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Retirement celebrations
- Milestone birthday parties
- Company summer parties
Paella catering in Ardington
How it works
The paella is cooked in huge, shallow pans over gas burners. We need a level, ventilated spot, and we agree where that is before the day. In Ardington, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Getting a price
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: use our quote form.
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How our paella catering works in Ardington
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the smell does the rest. Popular choices include vegan paella, mixed paella and seafood paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater birthday celebrations and garden parties and summer barbecues.
Somewhere like Ardington, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Where
- Ardington (OX12)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Should I cook it myself?
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. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It’s the pan people photograph.
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, not seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Questions from Ardington
How far is Ardington from London?
Roughly 56 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you come out to small places like Ardington?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can paella be the only main course?
It can be. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course, and tapas or dessert can be added.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes. Children often love a simple chicken paella. Tell us how many are coming.
Will there be enough food?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Accurate numbers help.
Can you cook in the rain?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
Do you cook it at the event?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
Paella compared with other options
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why us?
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Take a look at Our pricing And The cost guide.
Also near Ardington
Other catering in Ardington
How we price paella catering
Every event is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many guests are eating
- How many courses
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Distance and access to the venue
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Details that help
To check availability and price, we need:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Anything your venue supplies
- The date and rough timings
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Events we cater in Ardington
There’s no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Ardington book us for occasions like:
- Retirement celebrations
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Big birthdays
- Family celebrations and christenings
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Wantage Primary Academy, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Before you book anyone
- How late numbers can change
- When payment is due
- If the price includes VAT
- A clear list of what’s included
Where we can cook in Ardington
Every venue is different, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Ardington: venues, travel and local tips
Ardington is about 2 miles east of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. For paella catering in Ardington, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. We cook in all 443 towns and villages in Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Ardington to Oxford (about 13 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of the Holy Trinity, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
We cater events across OX12 and the streets around it. From High Street, Church Street and Well Street or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. Nearby, we also cater events in East Lockinge (1 mile south), West Hendred (1 mile east), East Hendred (2 miles east), Rowstock (3 miles east) and Farnborough (4 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Oxford (13 miles north-east), Didcot (6 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles north-east), Witney (14 miles north), Carterton (15 miles north-west) and Faringdon (10 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection (2.3 miles north-west). Not far away are Letcombe Valley and Chain Hill.
- Schools near Ardington include King Alfred's (2.2 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include The Boar's Head pub (under half a mile east)
Diets, allergies and planning
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Mention any other courses or food
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
- 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