Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Basingstoke events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Basingstoke: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Company summer parties
- Community events and fairs
- Family celebrations and christenings
Live paella catering in Basingstoke
Paella catering for your event in Basingstoke
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That is exactly what we bring to your event in Basingstoke. Whether it’s big birthdays and leaving dos and retirements, we will put together a menu of seafood paella, vegan paella and chicken and chorizo paella for your guests.
For an event in central Basingstoke, parking and access are what to plan; the cooking just needs level ground and ventilation. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and service is quick once it’s ready.
Planning the cooking area
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
Menu ideas
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
A closer look at the menu
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It’s normally the most photographed pan.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, because each paella has its own pan. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why Basingstoke hosts choose us
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Fast service from the pan
- Catering across Hampshire, including Basingstoke
Take a look at Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
Also near Basingstoke
What else we do in Basingstoke
For planners, venues and organisers
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Basingstoke? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Step by step
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, and we agree where that is before the day. Planning an evening event in Basingstoke? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised 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.
Before we arrive
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
How to get a price
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Prices and what affects them
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- The number of people
- How many staff you need
- The paellas you choose
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Details that help
To speed things up, tell us:
- The date and rough timings
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Any dietary needs and allergies
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote.
Occasions we cook for in Basingstoke
There is no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We frequently cook for:
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Naming days and family parties
- Community events and fairs
- Garden get-togethers
For guests coming by train, Basingstoke station is about 0.6 miles away.
Before booking anyone
- If the price includes VAT
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How late numbers can change
Live paella in Basingstoke: local details
Basingstoke is in Hampshire. Anywhere in RG24, we’ll come to your venue or garden. We cook in 683 places across Hampshire. Our events stretch from Basingstoke to Reading (about 14 miles away).
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like King's Furlong Infant School and Nursery, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Historic houses near Basingstoke include The Vyne (2.9 miles north). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
We cater events across the RG24, RG22, RG21 and RG23 postcode area. Your event could be at a home on Church Square, Queen Annes Square and The Square. Basingstoke is on the A30 and A33, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. We also cook at events in South Ham (1 mile south-west), Winklebury (1 mile west), Brighton Hill (1 mile south), Rooksdown (1 mile north-west) and Buckskin (1 mile west). Larger places within reach include Farnborough (15 miles east), Fleet (11 miles east), Aldershot (15 miles east), Alton (10 miles south-east), Yateley (13 miles north-east) and Tadley (6 miles north). As one of the bigger places in Hampshire, Basingstoke has lots of places to hold an event.
Other landmarks nearby include Basing House (2.2 miles east) and The Malls (0.6 miles east). Open spaces near Basingstoke include Farleigh Hill and Daneshill Park Woods.
- Local schools include Cranbourne (0.7 miles south) and The Costello School (1 mile east)
- Local pubs include The Rising Sun pub (0.5 miles north-east)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
Basingstoke: your questions answered
We are having a ceremony at St Michael's Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Could we have live paella in Eastrop Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Do we need to provide equipment?
All cooking kit comes with us. Tell us what the venue provides, such as tables or crockery.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and we will cook a separate pan.
What happens with live paella?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Who clears up?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Can we choose the seafood?
We will suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
- 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