West Berkshire · England
Live paella catering in Downend, West Berkshire
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Downend and the surrounding area.
- Big birthdays
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Anniversary celebrations
Planning an event in Downend?
Planning for every diet
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Mention any other courses or food
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Confirm allergies by email
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If plans change, tell us and we will adjust.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Paella catering in Downend, cooked live
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan paellas. Every pan is cooked on its own, so diets are easy to manage. We cook vegetable paella, black rice and seafood paella, and we’re frequently booked for milestone birthday parties and christenings and family gatherings.
Somewhere like Downend, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
- Location
- Downend (RG20)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Downend: your questions answered
Can you cook at venues in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
Is Downend close to London?
About 53 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
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.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, including West Berkshire. Find your area.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You just need a suitable spot and access.
Are premium seafood options available?
We’ll talk through seafood options when we plan your menu, including premium options if you want them.
How much paella per person?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
The process
Your timings come first. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we adjust the cooking so it’s still served fresh. In Downend, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
How to prepare
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
Getting a price
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Read more
Paella compared with other options
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What you get with us
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Read Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Catering an event in Downend
Downend is about 5 miles north of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We cater events at gardens, halls and venues around Downend. We cover all 155 towns and villages in West Berkshire. We cook right across the region, from Downend to Reading (15 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Nearby historic houses include Shaw House (4.2 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The North Wessex Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Downend. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Anywhere in RG20, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Your event could be at a home on Downend Lane, Bardown and Northfields. We also cook at events in Chieveley (1 mile south), North Heath (1 mile south-west), World's End (1 mile north-east), Peasemore (2 miles north-west) and Beedon (2 miles north). We also cook in nearby towns such as Newbury (5 miles south), Thatcham (5 miles south-east), Burghfield Common (12 miles south-east), Speenhamland (5 miles south), Hungerford (10 miles south-west) and Calcot (12 miles east).
A little further out are Hampstead Norris Castle (3.3 miles east) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (4.7 miles south). Open spaces near Downend include Snelsmore Common.
- Nearby, you’ll find The Wheatsheaf pub (0.7 miles south)
Who books paella catering in Downend?
There’s no kitchen needed, so it is at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Big birthdays
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Chieveley Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What your quote should include
- Payment terms and deposit
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- What happens if it rains
Also near Downend
More for events in Downend
Organising for someone else?
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Prices and what affects them
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Your choice of paellas
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many guests are eating
- Starters, canapés and desserts
Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
Details that help
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- What the venue already provides
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- The address or venue name
- The date and rough timings
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can fill in our quote form.
Where we can cook in Downend
Every venue is different, so we’ll ask about yours before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Downend
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo 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