Buckinghamshire · England
Paella Catering in Downley
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Downley: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Company summer parties
Paella catering near Downley
About our paella catering in Downley
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is exactly what we bring to your event in Downley. Whether it is staff parties and work lunches and weddings, from canapés to evening food, we can cook vegan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella for your guests.
Somewhere like Downley, a field or garden is often the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
- Area
- Downley (HP13)
- Area hub
- Buckinghamshire
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Catering for every guest
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Tell us what else is being served
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Ensure each pan is labelled
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, which is when we generally call guests over.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
Live paella or other catering?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why book with us
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Catering across Buckinghamshire, including Downley
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
See Our pricing And The cost guide.
Also near Downley
What else we do in Downley
Planning the cooking area
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
What we offer
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Perfect for your event in Downley
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it is cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Downley and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
For guests coming by train, High Wycombe station is about 1.8 miles away.
What your quote should include
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Allergen information for each dish
- How bad weather is handled
- The deposit and payment dates
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. 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.
Questions from Downley
What’s the nearest station to Downley for guests?
The closest is High Wycombe station, roughly 1.8 miles away.
Do you cater in the Chilterns National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
How does live paella catering work?
We set up a cooking area at your venue, cook the paella from scratch in large pans while your guests watch, and serve it straight from the pan.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three covers most guests. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Can you cook in the rain?
Rain doesn’t stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
Planners, venues and businesses
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Organising a club, school or community event in Downley? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Planning live paella in Downley
Downley is about 2 miles north-west of High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire. For paella catering in Downley, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Downley is one of 263 towns and villages in Buckinghamshire we cover. You can also see our page for Reading, about 16 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as The Downley School, can book us as a food stall. Historic houses near Downley include Hughenden Manor (0.8 miles east) and West Wycombe Park House (1.2 miles west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. Downley is within about 5 miles of the Chilterns National Landscape. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in HP13 is planned around your venue and your guests. Your event could be at a home on Willoughby's Walk, Gray's Lane and West Court. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Naphill (1 mile north), Hughenden Valley (2 miles north-east), High Wycombe (2 miles south-east), Terriers (2 miles east) and Four Ashes (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Aylesbury (12 miles north), Chesham (8 miles north-east), Marlow (5 miles south), Amersham (8 miles east), Beaconsfield (6 miles south-east) and Chalfont St Peter (10 miles east).
A little further out are Wycombe Hospital (1.7 miles south-east) and West Wycombe Rural (2.2 miles west). Not far away are Prestwood Local Nature Reserve.
- Local schools include The Tower (1.4 miles south-east) and The Royal Grammar School (1.6 miles east)
- Local pubs include Le De Spencers Arms (0.6 miles north)
What happens on the day
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell generally draws people over. Around midsummer it stays light in Downley until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- 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
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Give us a contact for the day
How to get a price
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, use our quote form.
Planning help
A closer look at the menu
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is usually served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
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.
- 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