Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Criddlestyle
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Criddlestyle: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Garden get-togethers
Paella catering near Criddlestyle
How our paella catering works in Criddlestyle
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. We cook black rice, seafood paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and we are regularly asked to cater naming days and family parties and office lunches and staff parties.
For a rural spot like Criddlestyle, the countryside is part of the appeal: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Tell us about access and the ground. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
What paella catering costs
These are the factors that matter most:
- How many staff you need
- Timings and hours
- The paellas you choose
- Whether you need crockery
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
What we need to know
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Which courses you have in mind
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The venue or postcode
Send us the date, your venue or SP6 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, use our quote form.
DIY paella versus live catering
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Step by step
The paella is cooked in huge, shallow pans over gas burners. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, which we agree with you beforehand. Evenings in Criddlestyle stay light until about 9:25pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:10pm; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- First, tell us about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Give us a contact for the day
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Before you choose a spot
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
Menu ideas
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Have seats for most of your guests
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
What else we do in Criddlestyle
Paella compared with other options
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What you get with us
- Events in Criddlestyle and across Hampshire
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Read Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
Working with your venue
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Live paella in Criddlestyle: local details
Criddlestyle is in Hampshire. Tell us where your event in Criddlestyle will be, and we’ll plan access and set-up. We cover 683 places across Hampshire. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 16 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Breamore House (3 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like St Giles, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Criddlestyle is within about 8 miles of the New Forest National Park, 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 SP6 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Other places close to Criddlestyle for paella catering include Sandy Balls (1 mile north-east), Stuckton (1 mile south), Horseport (1 mile west), Blissford (1 mile south-east) and Godshill (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include Totton (12 miles east), Lymington (15 miles south-east), Romsey (13 miles east), New Milton (13 miles south), Ringwood (6 miles south) and Barton on Sea (14 miles south).
A little further out are Godshill Castle Hill (1.2 miles north) and Fordingbridge Doll Museum (0.8 miles west). Open spaces near Criddlestyle include Blashford Lakes and Linbrook Lake.
- Schools near Criddlestyle include Fordingbridge Infant School (1.1 miles north-west)
- Local pubs include The George Inn (0.9 miles west)
Criddlestyle: your questions answered
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Giles?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you cater in the New Forest National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Does paella work for big events?
Very much so. We size pans and serving points to your guest list.
How much space do you need?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
How do you work out quantities?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. See how much paella per person.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We’ll help you decide the split.
Are premium seafood options available?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu.
- 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