Oxfordshire · England
Live paella catering in Donnington, Oxfordshire
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Donnington and across Oxfordshire.
- Big birthdays
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Company summer parties
Planning an event in Donnington?
Paella catering in Donnington, made fresh on the day
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is what we bring to events in Donnington. For retirement and leaving parties and birthday celebrations, we will put together a menu of chicken and chorizo paella, seafood paella and mixed paella and more.
In and around Donnington, gardens and local halls are common choices. If access is tight, we will plan around it. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Where
- Donnington (OX4, OX1)
- Area hub
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
For event organisers in Donnington
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
If you are organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
How we price paella catering
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- How many staff you need
- How many courses
- Guest numbers
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Details that help
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The date and rough timings
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Why choose paella catering in Donnington?
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Donnington:
- Company summer parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Naming days and family parties
- Milestone birthday parties
For guests coming by train, Oxford station is about 1.9 miles away.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- How bad weather is handled
- Allergen information for each dish
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
How it works
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. Planning an evening event in Donnington? Sunset is around 9:00pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Getting a price
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Your questions about paella catering in Donnington
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Alban the Martyr?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is Donnington close to London?
About 52 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Is paella enough as a main?
It’s a full meal on its own. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
How do you work out quantities?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
What do you need at the venue?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Which areas do you serve?
We cover London and the South East, Oxfordshire included. Find your area.
Nearby places to Donnington
Other catering in Donnington
Why choose live paella in Donnington?
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Why Donnington hosts choose us
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- A clear, itemised quote
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Live cooking, not reheated food
Take a look at How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
Donnington: venues, travel and local tips
Donnington is about 1 mile south of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. From the centre of Donnington to the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cater in all 443 towns and villages in Oxfordshire.
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Larkrise Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Alban the Martyr, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Paella catering in OX4 and OX1 is planned around your venue. Local streets include Meadow Lane, Arnold Road and Iffley Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. With the A4158 close by, Donnington is simple for us to get to. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Iffley (1 mile south-east), New Hinksey (1 mile west), Cowley (1 mile south-east), Oxford (1 mile north) and Redbridge (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cater in Didcot (9 miles south), Bicester (12 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (5 miles south-west), Witney (12 miles west), Thame (11 miles east) and Wantage (13 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Warneford Hospital (1 mile north-east) and British Tattoo History Museum (0.5 miles north-east). Open spaces near Donnington include CS Lewis Nature Reserve and Headington Hill.
- Schools near Donnington include Greyfriars Catholic School (under half a mile east) and Emmanuel Christian School (1.3 miles south)
- Local pubs include Magdalen Arms (within half a mile north-west)
- Local facilities include Alexander Library of Ornithology (1.1 miles north-west)
Dietary needs and planning tips
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Popular choices
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- 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