Oxfordshire · England
Paella Catering in Checkendon
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Checkendon. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Summer garden parties
- Anniversary celebrations
- Retirement and leaving parties
Paella catering for Checkendon events
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Why book with us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- We cover Checkendon and the whole of Oxfordshire
- Sangria and bar staff available
Paella catering in Checkendon, made fresh on the day
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, very little goes to waste, and the food is served hot. It is why live paella suits so many kinds of event. Typical bookings include leaving dos and retirements and summer garden parties, serving black rice, paella Valenciana and mixed paella.
Somewhere as small as Checkendon, a garden or field is often the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
- Area
- Checkendon (RG8)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning the cooking area
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
What we offer
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
What else we do in Checkendon
Questions from Checkendon
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Peter and St Paul?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Which station should guests use for Checkendon?
The closest is Goring & Streatley station, roughly 4.4 miles away.
Do you cook inside?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, since the burners are gas. Some venues have suitable spaces; we will check with you and the venue.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Can you bring crockery?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
Is paella enough as a main?
Paella is a meal in itself. Many hosts add tapas first or dessert after.
Which paellas suit our guests?
Most events choose two or three: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.
When should we book?
The sooner the better. Peak dates go quickly, so get in touch early.
Prices and what affects them
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Waiting and bar staff
- How many guests are eating
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Details that help
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- The venue or postcode
- What the venue already provides
- The date and rough timings
- Any dietary needs and allergies
To get a price, fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will put together a menu and price.
Perfect for your event in Checkendon
There is no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Milestone birthday parties
- Naming days and family parties
For guests coming by train, Goring & Streatley station is about 4.4 miles away.
What to look for in a quote
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Whether travel is included
- Who provides the crockery
- If the price includes VAT
A closer look at the menu
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is typically served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Step by step
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. Planning an evening event in Checkendon? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Before we arrive
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Let us know the timings for the day
Get a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, fill in our quote form.
Read more
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Paella catering around Checkendon
Checkendon is about 6 miles north-west of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. For paella catering in Checkendon, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Checkendon. Checkendon is one of 443 places in Oxfordshire where we cook. Our events stretch from Checkendon to Reading (7 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Checkendon Church of England (A) Primary School, can book us as a food stall. For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Peter and St Paul, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Checkendon is within about 7 miles of the Chilterns National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Here we cover the RG8 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. That could mean an event in a garden on Uxmore Road, Whitehall Lane and Lovegrove's Lane or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Checkendon, we also cover Stoke Row (1 mile east), Hook End (1 mile south), Woodcote (2 miles south-west), Heath End (2 miles north) and Ipsden (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Didcot (10 miles north-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (14 miles north-west), Thame (14 miles north), Henley-on-Thames (6 miles east), Benson (6 miles north-west) and Chinnor (12 miles north-east).
Open spaces near Checkendon include Hartslock.
- Local schools include Langtree School (1.6 miles south-west)
- Nearby, you will find The Black Horse pub (less than half a mile north)
Catering for every guest
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Request clear labels at the serving table
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, which is when we normally call guests over.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
- 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