Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Bighton
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Bighton: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Naming days and family parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Book paella catering in Bighton
Paella catering in Bighton, made fresh on the day
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We are frequently asked to cater office lunches and staff parties and family celebrations and christenings, with vegan paella, mixed paella and black rice.
In a rural place like Bighton, the setting does plenty of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Tell us about access and the ground. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
A closer look at the menu
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
How we price paella catering
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The length of service
- Whether you need crockery
- How many courses
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Getting an accurate quote
To speed things up, tell us:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Which courses you have in mind
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
How the day works
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell usually draws people over. Evenings in Bighton stay light until about 9:25pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:10pm; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
How to prepare
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Let us know the timings for the day
Get a quote
Planning paella catering in Bighton? Send us the details and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
What else we do in Bighton
Bighton: your questions answered
Is Bighton close to London?
About 52 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Do you come out to small places like Bighton?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Which paellas do you recommend?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
What does paella catering cost?
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we’ll reply with a price.
Is halal food available?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and it is cooked separately.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a photo.
Should we have more than one paella?
Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
Do you do starters?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Who books paella catering in Bighton?
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food is hot and generous.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Company summer parties
- Garden get-togethers
- Anniversary celebrations
- Community events and fairs
Historic houses near Bighton include Hinton Ampner House (4.3 miles south) and Bentworth Hall (4.5 miles north-east). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one.
What your quote should include
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Payment terms and deposit
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Give us separate numbers for children
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, which is when we normally call guests over.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Paella compared with other options
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and usually costs more per head. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. 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 us?
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- A quote that spells everything out
Live paella in Bighton: local details
Bighton is about 7 miles south-west of Alton, in Hampshire. Across the SO24 area, we can cook for your guests. We cater in 683 places across Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Bighton to Southampton (17 miles away).
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. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Perins School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Anywhere in SO24, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Old Alresford (1 mile west), Upper Wield (3 miles north-east), Northington (3 miles north-west), Totford (3 miles north-west) and Brown Candover (4 miles north-west). Further out, we also cater in Basingstoke (11 miles north), Winchester (9 miles west), Eastleigh (13 miles south-west), Horndean (15 miles south), Chandler's Ford (14 miles south-west) and Alton (7 miles north-east).
Nearby you will also find Barton Castle (2.4 miles north). Not far away are Red Hill.
- Local pubs include Three Horseshoes Public House (less than half a mile east)
For planners, venues and organisers
Hosting a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
- 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