Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Crow events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Crow: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, right in front of your guests.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Anniversary celebrations
- Birthday celebrations
Live paella catering in Crow
Paella catering in Crow, cooked live
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. When it’s ready, it is served straight from the pan. Whether it is weddings, from canapés to evening food and retirement celebrations, we’ll put together a menu of black rice, chicken and chorizo paella and mixed paella for your guests.
Somewhere like Crow, a field or garden is often the perfect setting. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Common questions in Crow
Is Crow too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Do you cater in the New Forest National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll follow the site rules.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
Can we choose the seafood?
We will suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Do you cover Crow?
Yes, we do. Crow is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is usually popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We’ll help you decide the split.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Tell us your date and numbers and we will reply with a price.
Organising for someone else?
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Try these:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Count adults and children separately
- Put allergy details in writing
- Let us know about other food at the event
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal.
What happens on the day
Here’s how the day usually runs: we arrive, set up and start cooking, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it’s served hot from the pan at the agreed time. Around midsummer it stays light in Crow until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 4:05pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
Ask for a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It is generally the most photographed pan.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Before you choose a spot
Every venue is different, so we will ask about yours before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
On the menu in Crow
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
Paella compared with other options
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why Crow hosts choose us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- A quote that spells everything out
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Read Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
Why choose paella catering in Crow?
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Leaving dos and retirements
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Ringwood Junior School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Before you book anyone
- What happens if it rains
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Whether VAT is included
- When final numbers are due
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Other catering in Crow
Paella catering around Crow
Crow is in Hampshire. Across the BH24 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. We cover all 683 towns and villages across Hampshire. We cook right across the region, from Crow to Southampton (about 17 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Avon Tyrrell House (2.4 miles south-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The New Forest National Park is within about 3 miles of Crow, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cater events across the BH24 postcode area. Whether your event is on Barrack Lane, Wood End Road and Crow Lane or a nearby road, we can cook there. Close by, we cover events in Upper Kingston (1 mile west), Hightown (1 mile north), Bagnum (1 mile south), Ringwood (1 mile north-west) and Poulner (1 mile north). Within a short drive, we also cover Totton (13 miles north-east), Lymington (11 miles south-east), New Milton (7 miles south-east), Barton on Sea (8 miles south-east), Dibden Purlieu (15 miles east) and Marchwood (14 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include St Leonard's Hospital (4.3 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Blashford Lakes and Linbrook Lake.
- Nearby schools include Ringwood School (1.4 miles north-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Elm Tree Inn (0.8 miles north-west)
- 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