Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Ashlett, Hampshire
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Ashlett.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Retirement celebrations
Paella catering in Ashlett
Paella catering in Ashlett, 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 aroma does the rest. On the menu are vegetable paella, paella Valenciana and chicken and chorizo paella, and we’re often booked for garden parties and summer barbecues and community events and fairs.
In a small place like Ashlett, events are typically in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. 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 and clearly labelled.
Events we cater in Ashlett
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Retirement celebrations
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of All Saints, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
What to look for in a quote
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- The venue requirements
- A clear list of what’s included
- Who provides the crockery
Live paella or other catering?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. 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.
Why Ashlett hosts choose us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Take a look at Our prices page Or Our guide to catering costs.
Prices and what affects them
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- Distance and access to the venue
- The paellas you choose
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- How many staff you need
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Getting an accurate quote
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- The venue or postcode
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Your date and when you want to eat
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Live paella in Ashlett: local details
Ashlett is about 4 miles south-east of Hythe, in Hampshire. Give us the address of your event in Ashlett, and we’ll plan access and set-up. Ashlett is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 7 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Fawley Infant School, can book us as a food stall. Historic houses near Ashlett include Beaulieu Palace House (4.7 miles west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. Ashlett is within about 5 miles of the New Forest National Park, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours. The coast is within about 3 miles of Ashlett, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
This part of Hampshire takes in SO45, so your event can be anywhere in it. Close by, we cover events in Stonehills (1 mile south-west), Fawley (1 mile west), Sprat's Down (1 mile south), Calshot (1 mile south-east) and Blackfield (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Gosport (8 miles east), Eastleigh (10 miles north), Fareham (7 miles east), Horndean (15 miles east), Totton (10 miles north-west) and Chandler's Ford (11 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Calshot Castle (1.6 miles east) and Coldeast (4 miles north-east). Open spaces near Ashlett include Mercury Marshes.
- Nearby schools include The New Forest Academy (2.1 miles west)
- Nearby, you’ll find Falcon Hotel (under half a mile west)
Also near Ashlett
What else we do in Ashlett
Dietary needs and planning tips
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Put allergy details in writing
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Give us separate numbers for children
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If plans change, tell us and we’ll adjust.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
The menu, dish by dish
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It is the pan people photograph.
Space, weather and the venue
No two venues are the same, so we’ll ask about yours before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Ashlett
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
Should I cook it myself?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Questions from Ashlett
What about events near the coast?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Is Ashlett 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.
What do you need at the venue?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
What areas do you cover?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Ashlett.
How long does the paella take?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance so the paella is ready when you want it.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
What happens on the day
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. In Ashlett, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, 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.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
How to prepare
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Get a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Ashlett, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning help
- 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