Southampton · England
Live paella catering in Chilworth, Southampton
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Chilworth and across Southampton.
- Company summer parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
Live paella catering in Chilworth
How our paella catering works in Chilworth
One cooking area feeds a lot of people, there’s very little waste, and the food is served hot. It is why live paella suits so many kinds of event. On the menu are mixed paella, vegetable paella and black rice, and we are regularly asked to cater naming days and family parties and summer garden parties.
For a rural spot like Chilworth, the countryside is part of the appeal: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Location
- Chilworth (SO16)
- County
- Southampton
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
For planners, venues and organisers
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Chilworth? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Put allergy details in writing
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal.
DIY paella versus live catering
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
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 for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
What affects the price in Chilworth
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Timings and hours
- Whether you need crockery
- How many guests are eating
- The paellas you choose
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Details that help
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Where the event is
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Chilworth? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Chilworth: venues, travel and local tips
Chilworth is about 2 miles south-west of Chandler's Ford, in Southampton. Give us the address of your event in Chilworth, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. Chilworth is one of 40 places in Southampton where we cook.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Swaythling station, about 1.9 miles south-east. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Cantell School, can book us as a food stall. The coast is within about 5 miles of Chilworth, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Anywhere in SO16, we can cook for your guests. Whether your event is on Heatherlands Road, Roman Road and Pinelands Road or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. We also cook at events in Chilworth Old Village (1 mile north-west), Bassett (1 mile south), Lordswood (1 mile south-west), Highfield (2 miles south) and North Baddesley (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Southampton (3 miles south), Shirley (3 miles south), Regents Park (3 miles south-west), Townhill Park (3 miles south-east), Midanbury (3 miles south-east) and Thornhill (4 miles south-east).
A little further out are Eastleigh Museum (2.5 miles east) and Marlands Shopping Centre (3.6 miles south). Open spaces near Chilworth include Flexford Nature Reserve.
- Nearby schools include Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton (1.4 miles south-east)
What’s in the pans
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it’s often the first pan to empty.
Perfect for your event in Chilworth
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food is hot and generous.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Lakeside Country Park? Public parks generally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
Comparing caterers
- The deposit and payment dates
- How each diet is kept separate
- When final numbers are due
- What the caterer needs from your venue
Chilworth questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Denys?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is Chilworth too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Is paella a full meal?
Paella is a meal in itself. Many hosts add tapas first or dessert after.
Does paella work for big events?
It is ideal. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
Can you bring crockery?
We can. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You just need a suitable spot and access.
Will there be enough food?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Accurate numbers help.
Can you cook indoors?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Is live paella right for your event?
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain to your event in Chilworth. 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.
Why book with us
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Take a look at How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Places near Chilworth
More for events in Chilworth
How it works
Service is quick: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so large groups are fed quickly. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. In Chilworth, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, 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 the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- 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
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Have a level space ready for the pans
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
- 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