West Berkshire · England
Paella Catering in Colthrop
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Colthrop: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Engagement and anniversary parties
Paella catering for Colthrop events
Paella catering for your event in Colthrop
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is exactly what we bring to your event in Colthrop. On the menu are vegetable paella, vegan paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and typical bookings are for christenings and family gatherings and summer garden parties.
Somewhere as small as Colthrop, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Area
- Colthrop (RG19, RG18)
- Area hub
- West Berkshire
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Planners, venues and businesses
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
If you’re organising for someone else, 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.
Towns and villages near Colthrop
Other catering in Colthrop
Why choose live paella in Colthrop?
Vans serve one order at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, so everyone can eat at the same time. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why Colthrop hosts choose us
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
The process
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 the timing is planned around your event. In Colthrop, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Get a quote
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
What we need at the venue
Before the day, we’ll agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
What we offer
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Live paella in Colthrop: local details
Colthrop is about 1 mile east of Thatcham, in West Berkshire. For an event in Colthrop, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. Colthrop is one of 155 towns and villages in West Berkshire where we cook. Our events stretch from Colthrop to Reading (about 12 miles away).
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Francis Baily Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Historic houses near Colthrop include Shaw House (3.5 miles west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one.
We cater events across RG19 and RG18 and the streets around it. We can cater an event on streets such as Bath Road, Ashman Road and Fokerham Road or the roads around them. Nearby, we also cater events in Crookham (2 miles south-east), Hyde End (2 miles south-east), Heads Hill (2 miles south-west), Mill Green (2 miles south) and Goose Hill (3 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Newbury (4 miles west), Burghfield Common (8 miles east), Speenhamland (4 miles west), Hungerford (12 miles west), Spencers Wood (12 miles east) and Calcot (9 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Old Chapel Textile Centre (2.6 miles south-west) and Donnington Castle (4.6 miles west). The countryside around Colthrop includes Thatcham Reed Beds.
- Nearby schools include Kennet School (0.5 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include The Swan pub (0.5 miles south-west)
Planning for every diet
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Try these:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can relax.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Colthrop: your questions answered
How far is Colthrop from London?
Roughly 50 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Do you come out to small places like Colthrop?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
How soon do we need to book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it is short notice, it’s worth asking.
Can you cook in the rain?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Which paella is most popular?
Most events choose two or three: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a paella that stands on its own. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Who books paella catering in Colthrop?
It needs no kitchen, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Here are some of the events we cook for in Colthrop and West Berkshire:
- Company summer parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Garden get-togethers
For guests coming by train, Thatcham station is about 0.5 miles away.
What your quote should include
- The venue requirements
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- When final numbers are due
- What happens if it rains
Prices and what affects them
Every event is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- The length of service
- How many guests are eating
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
Larger events typically cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
Details that help
These details help us quote quickly:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The address or venue name
- Anything your venue supplies
- The date and time of the event
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Colthrop, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
- 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