Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Durrants events
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Durrants and across Hampshire.
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Naming days and family parties
Paella catering for Durrants events
Paella catering in Durrants, cooked live
You can keep it simple or build a full menu: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We will suggest what suits your event. We are often asked to cater garden parties and summer barbecues and leaving dos and retirements, with paella Valenciana, vegan paella and mixed paella.
In a rural place like Durrants, the setting does a lot of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Your questions about paella catering in Durrants
Can you cook at venues in the South Downs National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
Do you come out to small places like Durrants?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
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, timed around your event.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Which paellas suit our guests?
That depends on who’s coming. A chicken or mixed paella is normally the most popular, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
What seafood can we have?
Tell us your preferences and we’ll suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Do you do starters?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Live paella in Durrants: local details
Durrants is about 2 miles north-east of Havant, in Hampshire. Whether your event is in the middle of Durrants or on the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Durrants is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 19 miles away.
Historic houses near Durrants include Warblington Castle (2.5 miles south). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St John the Baptist, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The South Downs National Park is within about 8 miles of Durrants. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in PO9 is planned around your venue and your guests. We can cater an event on streets such as Whichers Close, Whichers Gate Road and Durrants Road or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Durrants, we also cover Rowlands Castle (1 mile north), Leigh Park (1 mile south-west), Havant (2 miles south-west), Denvilles (2 miles south) and Westbourne (2 miles south-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Gosport (10 miles south-west), Fareham (10 miles west), Horndean (3 miles north-west), Hedge End (15 miles west), Waterlooville (3 miles west) and Petersfield (9 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Havant War Memorial Hospital (2 miles south-west) and Havant Museum (2.1 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Brook Meadow (Emsworth) and Compton Down.
- Schools near Durrants include Sharps Copse Primary and Nursery School (0.7 miles south)
- Local pubs include Robin Hood Inn (0.8 miles north)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Prices and what affects them
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- The paellas you choose
- Guest numbers
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Getting an accurate quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- The date and time of the event
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can use our quote form.
Towns and villages near Durrants
Also in Durrants
How the day works
Here’s how the day generally runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it’s served hot from the pan at the agreed time. Evenings in Durrants stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Give us a contact for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Get a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Read more
Dietary needs and planning tips
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:
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Mention any other courses or food
A short rest after cooking helps, and that’s when we invite guests up.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
What we need at the venue
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but a few things matter:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Menu ideas
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
Occasions we cook for in Durrants
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Durrants and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Retirement celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Naming days and family parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Rowlands Castle station, about 0.9 miles north-east.
Before you book anyone
- The deadline for final numbers
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- If the price includes VAT
- How long the team stays
Organising for someone else?
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Hosting a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, not seafood. It is often the most popular pan at an event.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, cooked until the rice is golden. It is the pan people photograph.
- 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