Oxfordshire · England
Live paella catering in East Lockinge, Oxfordshire
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in East Lockinge and across Oxfordshire.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Company summer parties
Live paella catering in East Lockinge
Catering an event in East Lockinge
East Lockinge is about 2 miles east of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. Wherever your event is in the OX12 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. We cover 443 places in Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Oxford, about 13 miles away.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of All Saints, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. The North Wessex Downs National Landscape is within about 8 miles of East Lockinge, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in OX12 is planned around your venue and your guests. For events just outside East Lockinge, we cover Ardington (1 mile north), West Hendred (1 mile north-east), East Hendred (2 miles north-east), Rowstock (3 miles east) and Farnborough (3 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (13 miles north-east), Didcot (6 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (8 miles north-east), Witney (15 miles north), Grove (3 miles north-west) and Faringdon (10 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection (2.7 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Letcombe Valley and Chain Hill.
- Local pubs include The Boar's Head pub (0.6 miles north)
Paella catering for your event in East Lockinge
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We’re often asked to cater summer garden parties and naming days and family parties, with black rice, chicken and chorizo paella and vegetable paella.
Somewhere like East Lockinge, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Where
- East Lockinge (OX12)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Events we cater in East Lockinge
People book live paella because it’s food and entertainment at once. The pans become a focal point, and the food is hot and generous.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Retirement celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Engagement and anniversary parties
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as King Alfred's, can book us as a food stall.
Comparing caterers
- Whether travel is included
- How late numbers can change
- Allergen information for each dish
- The venue requirements
FAQs for East Lockinge
Is East Lockinge close to London?
About 56 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you come out to small places like East Lockinge?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
What if the weather’s bad?
We cook under cover, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Do you cover East Lockinge?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in East Lockinge and across Oxfordshire. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
Do you provide drinks?
Yes, sangria. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Can you cook indoors?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together, and it’s frequently the first pan to empty.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Should I cook it myself?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
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 at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Towns and villages near East Lockinge
Other catering in East Lockinge
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Count adults and children separately
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Ask for labels on each pan
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
For planners, venues and organisers
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Before you choose a spot
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
Menu ideas
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
What happens on the day
Serving is fast: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. When service is finished, we pack down. In East Lockinge, 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. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
How to prepare
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Tell us when you want to eat
Get a quote
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
How we price paella catering
The price comes down to a few factors:
- How many staff you need
- Guest numbers
- The paellas you choose
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Your date and when you want to eat
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The courses you’d like
Planning paella catering in East Lockinge? Send us the details and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just fill in our quote form.
- 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