Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Bartley, Hampshire
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 Bartley.
- Garden get-togethers
- Birthday celebrations
- Retirement celebrations
Paella catering near Bartley
How it works
We take care of the food from set-up to service, so you are free to enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. In Bartley, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Name one person we can ask on the day
Getting a price
It’s easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will come back with a clear quote.
Read more
About our paella catering in Bartley
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the aroma does the rest. We’re frequently asked to cater weddings and evening receptions and garden get-togethers, serving paella Valenciana, mixed paella and black rice.
Somewhere as small as Bartley, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Space, weather and the venue
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but a few things matter:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Bartley
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
For event organisers in Bartley
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Why choose live paella in Bartley?
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Why book with us
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- A clear, itemised quote
- Catering across Hampshire, including Bartley
See Our prices page Or The cost guide.
Dietary needs and planning tips
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Make sure each pan is labelled
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Bartley: your questions answered
Is Bartley too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you cater in the New Forest National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Is paella enough as a main?
It is a full meal on its own. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
What space do you need to cook?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Do you cook inside?
Normally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, because we use gas burners. Some venues have suitable spaces; we will check with you and the venue.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
What areas do you cover?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It is a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Bartley: venues, travel and local tips
Bartley is about 2 miles west of Totton, in Hampshire. We cater events at homes, gardens and venues in Bartley and nearby villages. Bartley is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 7 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Ashurst New Forest station is about 2.2 miles away. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Bartley Church of England Junior School, can book us as a food stall. The New Forest National Park is within about 4 miles of Bartley, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Here we cover the SO40 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. We can cater an event on streets such as Chinham Road, Shepherds Close and Pundle Green or the roads around them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Cadnam (1 mile north-west), Winsor (1 mile north-east), Copythorne (1 mile north), Woodlands (1 mile south-east) and Netley Marsh (1 mile east). Further out, we also cater in Winchester (15 miles north-east), Eastleigh (10 miles east), Chandler's Ford (9 miles north-east), Hedge End (11 miles east), Lymington (11 miles south) and Romsey (6 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include National Dairy Museum (2.7 miles south-east) and Tatchbury Mount Hospital (1.8 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Copythorne Common.
- Pubs nearby include Haywain pub (within half a mile north-west)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Nearby places to Bartley
What else we do in Bartley
Perfect for your event in Bartley
It needs no kitchen, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Here are some of the events we cook for:
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Big birthdays
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Bartley Village Hall, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
What to look for in a quote
- How each diet is kept separate
- What happens if it rains
- Staff numbers and hours
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- 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