Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Chawton
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Chawton: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Office lunches and staff parties
Planning an event in Chawton?
Occasions we cook for in Chawton
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Nicholas, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Questions to ask before booking
- The wet-weather plan
- How long the team stays
- Payment terms and deposit
- Whether travel is included
Paella catering in Chawton, made fresh on the day
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan paellas. Every pan is cooked on its own, so diets are easy to manage. On the menu are black rice, mixed paella and seafood paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater family celebrations and christenings and weddings, from canapés to evening food.
In a small place like Chawton, events are generally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Tell us what else is being served
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Your questions about paella catering in Chawton
How far is Chawton from London?
Roughly 46 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Which station should guests use for Chawton?
The closest is Alton station, roughly 1.6 miles away.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan for them.
Are premium seafood options available?
We will talk through seafood options when we plan your menu.
How much does paella catering cost in Chawton?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we’ll reply with a price.
What about pudding?
We do. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices.
Who clears up?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Live paella or other catering?
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked live and served hot. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why Chawton hosts choose us
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Events in Chawton and across Hampshire
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Working with your venue
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Chawton? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
Towns and villages near Chawton
What else we do in Chawton
Step by step
Watching it cook is half the fun. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook. Around midsummer it stays light in Chawton until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is 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 sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Getting ready for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Give us a contact for the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: use our quote form.
Related guides
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
What affects the price in Chawton
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Parking and unloading
- Timings and hours
- How many staff you need
Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What to tell us
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Anything your venue supplies
- A photo of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Live paella in Chawton: local details
Chawton is about 1 mile south-west of Alton, in Hampshire. Events in Chawton are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cater in all 683 towns and villages across Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Guildford, about 20 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Alton station is about 1.6 miles away. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Chawton Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Here we cover the GU34 postcode area. Streets in the area include Winchester Road and Wolf's Lane, and we can cook for an event on any of them. We also cook at events in Alton (1 mile north-east), Upper Farringdon (2 miles south), Lower Farringdon (2 miles south), Farringdon (2 miles south) and Hartley Mauditt (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Basingstoke (10 miles north-west), Winchester (15 miles west), Farnborough (15 miles north-east), Fleet (12 miles north-east), Aldershot (13 miles north-east) and Petersfield (9 miles south).
Well-known places in the area include Allen Gallery (1.3 miles north-east) and Alton Community Hospital (within half a mile north). The countryside around Chawton includes King's Hill.
- Schools near Chawton include Amery Hill School (1.4 miles north)
- Local pubs include The Greyfriar pub (less than half a mile south)
- 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