Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Dibden
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Dibden: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Garden get-togethers
- Birthday celebrations
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Paella catering in Dibden
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Paella catering in Dibden, made fresh on the day
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. Once it is ready, we serve it hot from the pan. Whether it is family celebrations and christenings and festivals, fairs and school events, we will put together a menu of mixed paella, vegetable paella and seafood paella.
A place like Dibden often has a hall, a club or a pub garden nearby; live paella can work at any of them, given permission and outdoor space. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Questions from Dibden
What about events near the coast?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
What’s the nearest station to Dibden for guests?
The closest is Southampton Town Quay station, roughly 2.2 miles away.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You just need a suitable spot and access.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
How soon do we need to book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Even if it is short notice, it is worth asking.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, Hampshire included. See all areas.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Do you cover Dibden?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and Dibden is within our area. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Diets, allergies and planning
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Tell us what else is being served
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
How the day works
Your timings come first. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we adjust the cooking so it is still served fresh. Around midsummer it stays light in Dibden until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
How to get a price
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Related guides
Perfect for your event in Dibden
There’s no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Milestone birthday parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Christenings and family gatherings
Historic houses near Dibden include Medieval Merchant's House (2.5 miles north) and Southampton Tudor House and Garden (2.5 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Comparing caterers
- How long the team stays
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- The venue requirements
- Whether VAT is included
Working with your venue
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.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
About the dishes
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It is the pan people photograph.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
How we price paella catering
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Your choice of paellas
- Guest numbers
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before you book.
What we need to know
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Anything your venue supplies
- The address or venue name
- Any dietary needs and allergies
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. Just use our quote form.
Places near Dibden
What else we do in Dibden
Space, weather and the venue
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
What we offer
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
Live paella in Dibden: local details
Dibden is about 1 mile west of Hythe, in Hampshire. Whether your event is in the middle of Dibden or on the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cater in all 683 towns and villages in Hampshire.
For guests coming by train, Southampton Town Quay station is about 2.2 miles away. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of All Saints, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Dibden is within about 4 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. Dibden is within about 3 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Wherever your event is in SO45, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Streets in the area include Cavalier Close, Cathay Gardens and Canterbury Drive, and we can cook for an event on any of them. We also cook at events in Dibden Purlieu (1 mile south-east), Hythe (1 mile east), Marchwood (2 miles north-west), Beaulieu (3 miles south) and The Hummicks (4 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Winchester (14 miles north), Gosport (13 miles east), Eastleigh (8 miles north-east), Fareham (10 miles east), Totton (5 miles north-west) and Chandler's Ford (8 miles north).
A little further out are Royal South Hants Hospital (3.5 miles north) and Westquay (2.8 miles north).
- Schools near Dibden include Testwood School (less than half a mile south-west) and Orchard Junior School (0.6 miles south-east)
- 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