Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Crowdhill events
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Crowdhill.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Company summer parties
- Garden get-togethers
Paella catering in Crowdhill
About our paella catering in Crowdhill
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field. For staff parties and work lunches and milestone birthday parties, we will put together a menu of paella Valenciana, mixed paella and seafood paella and more.
For a rural spot like Crowdhill, 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. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
Organising for someone else?
If you are organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
Crowdhill: your questions answered
Is Crowdhill close to London?
Roughly 63 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
We’re having a ceremony at Church of the Holy Trinity: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Which paellas suit our guests?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is usually the most popular, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
If you need them, yes. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables can be added to your booking.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, while the rice is cooking.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Yes. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
What about pudding?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Planning live paella in Crowdhill
Crowdhill is about 2 miles north-east of Eastleigh, in Hampshire. Anywhere in SO50, we’ll come to your venue or garden. Crowdhill is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. Our events stretch from Crowdhill to Southampton (6 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Wyvern Technology College, can book us as a food stall. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Eastleigh station, about 2.2 miles west.
For paella catering in SO50, we plan around your venue. Streets in the area include Chestnut Drive and Winchester Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Nearby, we also cater events in Fisher's Pond (1 mile north), Nob's Crook (1 mile north-west), Colden Common (1 mile north-west), Lord's Wood (1 mile north-west) and Bishopstoke (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include Winchester (6 miles north), Gosport (14 miles south-east), Fareham (10 miles south-east), Horndean (14 miles east), Totton (10 miles south-west) and Chandler's Ford (4 miles west).
Nearby you will also find Eastleigh Museum (2.3 miles west) and Moorgreen Hospital (3.6 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Twyford Down and Shawford Down.
- Schools near Crowdhill include The King's School Senior (1.3 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Fox & Hounds pub (under half a mile south)
DIY paella versus live catering
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. 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 Crowdhill
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Starters, canapés and desserts
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Getting an accurate quote
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The courses you’d like
- The date and rough timings
- A photo of the space, if you can
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will confirm whether we are available that day.
About the dishes
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it is often the first pan to empty.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron.
Nearby places to Crowdhill
Also in Crowdhill
Planning the cooking area
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
The process
We get there well before serving, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch while it cooks. Planning an evening event in Crowdhill? 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.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Preparing for the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Ask for a quote
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you are ready: use our quote form.
Planning help
Dietary needs and planning tips
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we serve when guests are ready.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Who books paella catering in Crowdhill?
It is ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, with guests mingling as it cooks and then sit down to share.
These are some of the occasions we cater:
- Naming days and family parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
Historic houses near Crowdhill include South Stoneham House (4.4 miles south-west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
What to look for in a quote
- Payment terms and deposit
- VAT, if it applies
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- A clear list of what’s included
- 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