Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Ashley, Hampshire
Planning paella catering in Ashley? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
Paella catering near Ashley
How our paella catering works in Ashley
Paella is generous food: huge pans, saffron colour and a toasted crust that everyone fights over. It turns a meal into an occasion. We’re often asked to cater office lunches and staff parties and summer garden parties, with paella Valenciana, black rice and chicken and chorizo paella.
Somewhere as small as Ashley, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. You’ll know exactly what’s included before you book: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
Diets, allergies and planning
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Put allergy details in writing
- Request clear labels at the serving table
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can enjoy your guests.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal.
Is live paella right for your event?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why us?
- We cover Ashley and the whole of Hampshire
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
Read How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Organising for someone else?
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Planning live paella in Ashley
Ashley is about 6 miles north of Romsey, in Hampshire. For an event in Ashley, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Ashley. We cover 683 places in Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Ashley to Southampton (about 11 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Mottisfont & Dunbridge station, about 5 miles south-west. Nearby historic houses include Mottisfont Abbey (4.3 miles south-west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one.
Here we cover the SO20 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Little Somborne (1 mile north), Up Somborne (1 mile north-east), King's Somborne (1 mile west), Lower Slackstead (3 miles south) and Braishfield (4 miles south). We also cook in nearby towns such as Winchester (6 miles east), Eastleigh (9 miles south-east), Andover (9 miles north), Totton (11 miles south), Chandler's Ford (7 miles south-east) and Hedge End (13 miles south-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Royal Hampshire County Hospital (5.4 miles east).
Perfect for your event in Ashley
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, thanks to separate pans for each version. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Naming days and family parties
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St Mary's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
What to look for in a quote
- If the price includes VAT
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- The deposit and payment dates
- The venue requirements
Prices and what affects them
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Whether you need crockery
- Travel, parking and access
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Your choice of paellas
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Getting an accurate quote
These details help us quote quickly:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- The address or venue name
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Roughly how many adults and children
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Ashley: your questions answered
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Mary's Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is Ashley too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
How does live paella catering work?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
What do you need at the venue?
Less than you might think: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. Send us a picture if you are not sure.
Does paella work for big events?
Yes. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
How long do you need on site?
We get there in good time to set up. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Nearby places to Ashley
What else we do in Ashley
Step by step
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Guests generally gather round to watch as the paella takes shape. In Ashley, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening events are usually served 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 the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
How to prepare
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Tell us where to park and unload
Ask for a quote
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Ashley? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Read more
DIY paella versus live catering
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
What’s in the pans
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, rather than seafood. It is often the most popular pan at an event.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
- 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