Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Drayton, Hampshire
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Drayton and Hampshire, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Garden get-togethers
- Milestone birthday parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
Book paella catering in Drayton
Prices and what affects them
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- How many courses
- How long we are needed on site
- Parking and unloading
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What we need to know
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- Anything your venue supplies
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Which courses you have in mind
- The address or venue name
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Drayton? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Paella catering in Drayton, cooked live
Watching it cook is part of the experience. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the aroma does the rest. Popular choices include paella Valenciana, seafood paella and vegan paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater garden get-togethers and staff parties and work lunches.
In a rural place like Drayton, the setting does plenty of the work: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Tell us about access and the ground. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
What happens on the day
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. Planning an evening event in Drayton? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Send us 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.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
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
Get a quote
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we will make suggestions. Start when you are ready: fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Nearby places to Drayton
What else we do in Drayton
Before you choose a spot
Every venue is different, so we ask about the space before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
What’s in the pans
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
DIY paella versus live catering
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Who books paella catering in Drayton?
It needs no kitchen, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
In Drayton and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Retirement and leaving parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Petersfield station, about 4.7 miles east.
Before booking anyone
- Space, access and power needs
- Allergen information for each dish
- The deposit and payment dates
- What the price includes, item by item
Dietary needs and planning tips
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
A short rest after cooking helps, which is when we typically call guests over.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Why choose live paella in Drayton?
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain to your event in Drayton. Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why us?
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Common questions in Drayton
Do you come out to small places like Drayton?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of All Saints?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
When do you arrive?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Is halal food available?
Yes, on request. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it is cooked separately.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Which paella is most popular?
Two or three is usual: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. Our menu lists the options.
How soon do we need to book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Planning live paella in Drayton
Drayton is about 5 miles west of Petersfield, in Hampshire. Wherever your event is in the GU32 area, we can cook for your guests. We cook in all 683 towns and villages in Hampshire. Our events stretch from Drayton to Southampton (about 16 miles away).
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like East Meon Church of England Controlled Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of All Saints, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The South Downs National Park is within about 5 miles of Drayton. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Here we cover the GU32 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Neighbouring places where we cater events include West Meon (2 miles west), Privett (3 miles north), Filmore Hill (3 miles north), Bailey Green (3 miles north) and West Tisted (4 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Winchester (12 miles west), Gosport (14 miles south), Havant (10 miles south), Eastleigh (13 miles west), Fareham (12 miles south-west) and Horndean (7 miles south).
Well-known places in the area include Clanfield Earthwork (4.8 miles south-east) and Petersfield Community Hospital (4.7 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Henwood Down and Shutts Copse.
- Nearby, you’ll find The George Inn (1 mile 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