Oxfordshire · England
Live paella catering in Drayton, Oxfordshire
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Drayton: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests.
- Garden get-togethers
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Big birthdays
Live paella catering in Drayton
How our paella catering works in Drayton
Watching it cook is part of the experience. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the smell does the rest. Whether it is family celebrations and christenings and garden get-togethers, we will put together a menu of seafood paella, paella Valenciana and black rice.
Somewhere as small as Drayton, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- Drayton (OX16, OX15, OX17)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Why choose live paella in Drayton?
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What you get with us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Events in Drayton and across Oxfordshire
See Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
How we price paella catering
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many guests are eating
- Waiting and bar staff
- How many courses
- Parking and unloading
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
To speed things up, tell us:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- What the venue already provides
- Which courses you have in mind
- The date and rough timings
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Why choose paella catering in Drayton?
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Drayton and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as North Oxfordshire Academy, can book us as a food stall.
What your quote should include
- The deadline for final numbers
- VAT, if it applies
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Who provides the crockery
Dietary needs and planning tips
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Make sure each pan is labelled
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we serve when guests are ready.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
Drayton questions
Do you come out to small places like Drayton?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Which station should guests use for Drayton?
Banbury station, about 2.2 miles east of the centre.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
What space do you need to cook?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
Is halal food available?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it is cooked separately.
Who clears up?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook on the day, then serve straight from the pan.
What we need at the venue
Before the day, we’ll agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
What we offer
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
For planners, venues and organisers
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
The process
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch while it cooks. Evenings in Drayton stay light until about 9:30pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:10pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised 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.
How to prepare
- Give us a contact for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Plan cover in case of rain
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you’re ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Catering an event in Drayton
Drayton is about 1 mile north-west of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. For paella catering in Drayton, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cater in all 443 towns and villages across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Oxford, about 23 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Banbury station, about 2.2 miles east. Thinking of a picnic-style party in People's Park? Public parks generally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
Here we cover the OX16, OX15 and OX17 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Whether your event is on Smythe Road, Hermon Road and Poulter Road or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. Other places close to Drayton for paella catering include Wroxton (1 mile west), Neithrop (1 mile south-east), Ruscote (1 mile south-east), North Newington (1 mile south-west) and Banbury (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Bicester (15 miles south-east), Bure Park (15 miles south-east), Chipping Norton (12 miles south-west), Bloxham (4 miles south), Bodicote (3 miles south-east) and Charlbury (14 miles south).
Nearby you will also find Castle Quay Shopping Centre (1.9 miles east) and Hanwell Castle (1.3 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Crouch Hill.
- Local schools include Drayton School (under half a mile east) and William Morris Primary School (0.5 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include Roebuck Inn (less than half a mile north)
Towns and villages near Drayton
Also in Drayton
- 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