Oxfordshire · England
Paella Catering for Drayton St Leonard events
Planning paella catering in Drayton St Leonard? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Paella catering for Drayton St Leonard events
How our paella catering works in Drayton St Leonard
The cooking is half the fun. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the aroma does the rest. Popular choices include chicken and chorizo paella, mixed paella and black rice, and we’re often booked for office lunches and staff parties and christenings and family gatherings.
Somewhere as small as Drayton St Leonard, a garden or field is often the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
- Where
- Drayton St Leonard (OX10)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
For event organisers in Drayton St Leonard
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Nearby places to Drayton St Leonard
More for events in Drayton St Leonard
Live paella in Drayton St Leonard: local details
Drayton St Leonard is about 6 miles north-east of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. We cater events at gardens, halls and venues around Drayton St Leonard. We cook in 443 places across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Drayton St Leonard to Oxford (7 miles away).
Historic houses near Drayton St Leonard include Clifton Hampden Manor (3.1 miles west) and Garsington Manor (3.5 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Leonard, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Drayton St Leonard is within about 8 miles of the Chilterns National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
This part of Oxfordshire takes in OX10. Local streets include High Street, Church Lane and Ford Lane; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Other places close to Drayton St Leonard for paella catering include Great Holcombe (1 mile east), Newington (1 mile east), Brookhampton (1 mile north), Stadhampton (1 mile north) and Berinsfield (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (7 miles north-west), Didcot (6 miles south-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (6 miles west), Thame (9 miles north-east), Wantage (13 miles west) and Henley-on-Thames (13 miles south-east).
A little further out are Littlemore Hospital (5.3 miles north-west) and Aston Martin Heritage Trust Museum (within half a mile south). Green spaces nearby include Wittenham Clumps and Wells Farm.
- Pubs nearby include The Catherine Wheel pub (less than half a mile south)
Paella compared with other options
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, because each paella has its own pan. It is served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why us?
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Prices and what affects them
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- Travel, parking and access
- The number of people
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
What to tell us
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- What the venue already provides
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Which courses you have in mind
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Diets, allergies and planning
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Mention any other courses or food
- Confirm allergies by email
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we serve when guests are ready.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
About the dishes
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
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Events we cater in Drayton St Leonard
It’s ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, with guests mingling as it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Garden get-togethers
- Engagement and anniversary parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Culham station, about 4.3 miles west.
Questions to ask before booking
- Payment terms and deposit
- The deadline for final numbers
- How each diet is kept separate
- The wet-weather plan
The process
Serving is fast: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so large groups are fed quickly. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. In Drayton St Leonard, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Give us a contact for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Getting a price
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Related guides
Drayton St Leonard: your questions answered
Do you come out to small places like Drayton St Leonard?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Which station should guests use for Drayton St Leonard?
Culham station, about 4.3 miles west of the centre.
Which areas do you serve?
We cater across London and the South East, Oxfordshire included. See all areas.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
How much does paella catering cost in Drayton St Leonard?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Tell us your date and numbers for a clear quote.
How many different paellas?
Most events have two or three: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You just need a suitable spot and access.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is usually popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
- 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