Oxfordshire · England
Paella Catering for Charlbury events
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Charlbury. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Community events and fairs
- Big birthdays
- Summer garden parties
Planning an event in Charlbury?
The process
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first as the rice is cooking. Planning an evening event in Charlbury? Sunset is around 9:00pm in late May, 9:30pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Give us a contact for the day
Get a quote
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: fill in our quote form.
Related guides
About our paella catering in Charlbury
Paella is generous food: big pans, bright colours and a crispy base everyone wants a spoonful of. It turns a meal into an occasion. Whether it is garden get-togethers and retirement and leaving parties, we will put together a menu of seafood paella, paella Valenciana and vegetable paella.
For a place the size of Charlbury, your own garden is frequently the best venue: no venue hire, and nobody stuck cooking. Let us know about access to the house. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras.
- Location
- Charlbury (OX7)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Live paella in Charlbury: local details
Charlbury is about 6 miles north of Witney, in Oxfordshire. From the centre of Charlbury to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Charlbury is one of 443 places in Oxfordshire we cover. We cook right across the region, from Charlbury to Oxford (about 13 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Mary's Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Charlbury Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Anywhere in OX7, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Local streets include Market Street, Crawborough Road and Sandford Rise; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Being close to the B4022 and B4026, Charlbury is simple for us to get to. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Fawler (2 miles south-east), Spelsbury (2 miles north-west), Finstock (2 miles south), Stonesfield (2 miles south-east) and Ramsden (3 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (13 miles south-east), Banbury (14 miles north-east), Bicester (14 miles east), Witney (6 miles south), Carterton (9 miles south-west) and Kidlington (9 miles south-east).
The countryside around Charlbury includes Blenheim Farm.
- Pubs nearby include Ye Olde Three Horseshoes pub (less than half a mile south-west)
Paella compared with other options
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, so everyone can eat at the same time. Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why book with us
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Space, weather and the venue
No two venues are the same, so we will ask about yours when you get in touch. In general, we need:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
On the menu in Charlbury
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
Catering for every guest
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Tell us what else is being served
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Ask for labels on each pan
After service, we pack down our cooking area.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
What paella catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- How many guests are eating
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Distance and access to the venue
Larger events typically cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What to tell us
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Where the event is
- The date and rough timings
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Common questions in Charlbury
Is Charlbury close to London?
About 65 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Mary's Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Can you bring crockery?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
How much does paella catering cost in Charlbury?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we will reply with a price.
Which paella is most popular?
That depends on who’s coming. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Can you cater for children?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is usually popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
How soon do we need to book?
The sooner the better. Peak dates go quickly, so get in touch early.
For planners, venues and organisers
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is 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.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
More for events in Charlbury
Dishes our guests love
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
- 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