Wokingham · England
Paella Catering in Earley
Planning paella catering in Earley? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Retirement celebrations
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Planning an event in Earley?
How our paella catering works in Earley
Keep it simple, or go all out: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We’ll recommend what fits your event. For weddings and evening receptions and milestone birthday parties, we can cook vegetable paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella and more.
Most events in a town like Earley are in gardens, halls with outdoor space or hired venues. Each works well, as long as there is a level spot to cook and somewhere close to park. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
Live paella or other catering?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, thanks to separate pans. It’s served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before booking.
Why us?
- Real theatre, not just catering
- A clear, itemised quote
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Occasions we cook for in Earley
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Milestone birthday parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Garden get-togethers
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Trinity Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
What to look for in a quote
- The deposit and payment dates
- VAT, if it applies
- The wet-weather plan
- Allergen information for each dish
Places near Earley
Also in Earley
FAQs for Earley
How far is Earley from London?
Roughly 36 miles from the centre of London.
Can you cook in Maiden Erlegh Local Nature Reserve?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Do you cater for young children?
Of course. Children often love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
How much does paella catering cost in Earley?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Tell us your date and numbers and we will reply with a price.
Which paella is most popular?
It depends on your guests. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Can we choose the seafood?
We’ll suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
How much space do you need?
Less than you might think: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a photo.
Live paella in Earley: local details
Earley is about 2 miles south-east of Reading, in Wokingham. Wherever your event is in the RG6 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. We cook in 35 places across Wokingham.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Earley station, about 0.9 miles north-east. Parks such as Maiden Erlegh Local Nature Reserve normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
This part of Wokingham takes in RG6, RG2 and RG1, so your event can be anywhere in it. Streets in the area include Elm Road, Elm Lane and Mays Lane, and we can cook for an event on any of them. With the A327 and A3290 close by, Earley is simple for us to get to with everything for your event. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Lower Earley (1 mile south-east), Whitley (1 mile west), Newtown (2 miles north-west), Whitley Wood (2 miles south-west) and Shinfield (2 miles south). We also cook in nearby towns such as Wokingham (4 miles south-east), Crowthorne (7 miles south-east), Woosehill (4 miles south-east), Emmbrook (3 miles east), Twyford (4 miles north-east) and Charvil (4 miles north-east). Being one of Wokingham’s larger places, Earley has lots of places to hold an event.
Well-known places in the area include Royal Berkshire Hospital (1.7 miles north-west) and Berkshire Medical Heritage Centre Museum (1.7 miles north-west). The countryside around Earley includes South Lake and Fobney Island Wetland Reserve.
- Schools near Earley include Maiden Erlegh School (0.5 miles north-east) and Leighton Park School (0.7 miles north-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Three Tuns pub (0.7 miles north)
- Other local spots include University of Reading library (0.7 miles north-west)
Diets, allergies and planning
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Mention any other courses or food
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
Prices and what affects them
These are the factors that matter most:
- Travel, parking and access
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Timings and hours
The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What we need to know
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The date and rough timings
- Anything your venue supplies
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, fill in our quote form.
What happens on the day
Service is quick: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so large groups are fed quickly. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. Planning an evening event in Earley? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- First, tell us 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.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
How to prepare
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
How to get a price
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will put together a menu and price.
Related guides
The menu, dish by dish
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It is frequently the most popular pan at an event.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think.
What we offer
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- 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