Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Ashford, Hampshire
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Ashford and the surrounding area.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Retirement and leaving parties
Paella catering for Ashford events
FAQs for Ashford
Is Ashford too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
We’re having a ceremony at Sandleheath Village Hall: 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. Tell us where the reception will be.
Where do you cater?
We cater across London and the South East, Hampshire included. Find your area.
How long does the paella take?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance so the paella is ready when you want it.
Are premium seafood options available?
Tell us your preferences and we’ll suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Is paella a full meal?
Paella is a meal in itself. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Paella catering in Ashford, made fresh on the day
The cooking is half the fun. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the smell does the rest. Typical bookings include company summer parties and summer garden parties, with seafood paella, paella Valenciana and chicken and chorizo paella.
Somewhere as small as Ashford, a garden or field is often the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan.
How it works
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Planning an evening event in Ashford? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
How to prepare
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Should I cook it myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
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.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
For something a little different, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before booking.
What you get with us
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- No hidden extras in your quote
Read Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Planning the cooking area
Every venue is different, so we ask about the space before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
On the menu in Ashford
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
About the dishes
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Events we cater in Ashford
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We often cook for:
- Company summer parties
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Summer garden parties
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Fordingbridge Junior School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What your quote should include
- The wet-weather plan
- Travel and parking costs
- What the price includes, item by item
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
What affects the price in Ashford
These are the factors that matter most:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Timings and hours
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- The courses you’d like
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- The date and rough timings
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Planning live paella in Ashford
Ashford is in Hampshire. For paella catering in Ashford, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cover 683 places across Hampshire. Our events stretch from Ashford to Southampton (18 miles away).
Historic houses near Ashford include Breamore House (3 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Sandleheath Village Hall, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Anywhere in SP6, we can bring paella catering to you. Your event could be at a home on Station Road, Rookwood Gardens and Ashford Close or the roads around them. Close by, we cover events in Sandleheath (1 mile west), Alderholt (2 miles south-west), Damerham (2 miles north-west), Rockbourne (3 miles north-west) and Broxhill (3 miles west). Further out, we also cater in Totton (13 miles east), Romsey (15 miles east), New Milton (14 miles south-east), Ringwood (6 miles south), Barton on Sea (14 miles south-east) and Ashley (14 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Godshill Castle Hill (2.1 miles north-east) and Fordingbridge Museum (0.7 miles east). The countryside around Ashford includes Linbrook Lake and Blashford Lakes.
- Schools near Ashford include The Burgate School and Sixth Form (1 mile north-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Ship Inn (0.6 miles east)
Also near Ashford
Other catering in Ashford
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
- 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