Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Charter Alley, Hampshire
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Charter Alley.
- Big birthdays
- Anniversary celebrations
- Leaving dos and retirements
Paella catering for Charter Alley events
Paella catering for your event in Charter Alley
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. For garden parties and summer barbecues and anniversaries and engagement parties, we’ll put together a menu of mixed paella, vegan paella and paella Valenciana for your guests.
Somewhere like Charter Alley, a field or garden is often the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
Common questions in Charter Alley
Can you cater a reception after a service at Christ Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is Charter Alley close to London?
About 47 miles from central London.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
We can. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
How soon do we need to book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so get in touch early.
Which paellas do you recommend?
It depends on your guests. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Which areas do you serve?
We cater across London and the South East, including Hampshire. Find your area.
Is paella a full meal?
Yes. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main, and tapas or dessert can be added.
Places near Charter Alley
Also in Charter Alley
Paella compared with other options
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Why choose Love Paella in Charter Alley
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Catering across Hampshire, including Charter Alley
- Fast service from the pan
- A quote that spells everything out
Take a look at Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
How the day works
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. In Charter Alley, 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.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
Ask for a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, use our quote form.
Related guides
Diets, allergies and planning
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Confirm allergies by email
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Give us separate numbers for children
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we time it carefully. If timings shift, we adapt.
Tapas or canapés make a good start while the paella cooks.
What paella catering costs
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Guest numbers
- Parking and unloading
- The length of service
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before you book.
Details that help
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Which courses you have in mind
- The address or venue name
- Anything your venue supplies
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Tell us about your event in Charter Alley, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Organising for someone else?
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Should I cook it myself?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Occasions we cook for in Charter Alley
It suits relaxed, sociable events, with guests mingling as it cooks and then sit down to share.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Summer garden parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Milestone birthday parties
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Christ Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Before booking anyone
- The wet-weather plan
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Travel and parking costs
- Staff numbers and hours
Charter Alley: venues, travel and local tips
Charter Alley is about 3 miles south of Tadley, in Hampshire. Events in Charter Alley are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cater in all 683 towns and villages across Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Charter Alley to Reading (about 12 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Bramley (Hants) station is about 3.8 miles away. Historic houses near Charter Alley include The Vyne (2.6 miles east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
We cater events across RG26. Local streets include Old Chapel Lane, Sand Martin Close and White Hart Lane; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. If your venue is just outside Charter Alley, we also cover Ramsdell (1 mile west), West Heath (1 mile north-west), Pamber End (1 mile north-east), Monk Sherborne (1 mile south-east) and Salters Heath (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Basingstoke (4 miles south-east), Fleet (14 miles east), Alton (14 miles south-east), Yateley (14 miles east), Tadley (3 miles north) and Hook (8 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Park Prewett Hospital (2.7 miles south-east) and Calleva Museum (3.4 miles north-east). Open spaces near Charter Alley include Daneshill Park Woods.
Planning the cooking area
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
What we offer
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- 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