Buckinghamshire · England
Paella Catering for Elmhurst events
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Elmhurst. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Company summer parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Birthday celebrations
Planning an event in Elmhurst?
How our paella catering works in Elmhurst
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Every pan is cooked on its own, so diets are easy to manage. Typical bookings include company summer parties and family celebrations and christenings, with black rice, vegan paella and mixed paella.
Around Elmhurst, events are frequently in gardens, local halls or nearby venues. If the road in is narrow, tell us so we can plan the van. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Area
- Elmhurst (HP20, HP19, HP21)
- County
- Buckinghamshire
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Elmhurst: your questions answered
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Is Elmhurst close to London?
About 38 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you feed a lot of people?
It’s ideal. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
What happens if it rains?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
How much is live paella catering?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
How long do you need on site?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you.
Is the paella cooked on site?
It is. We arrive with everything we need and cook on the day, serving it hot from the pan.
Do you cater for young children?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Mention any other courses or food
- Have seats for most of your guests
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal, or serve your own cake.
Step by step
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. In Elmhurst, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
How to prepare
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Getting a price
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will make suggestions. Start when you are ready: fill in our quote form.
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Places near Elmhurst
What else we do in Elmhurst
Who books paella catering in Elmhurst?
There is no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Summer garden parties
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
What to look for in a quote
- Staff numbers and hours
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- VAT, if it applies
- Who provides the crockery
What’s in the pans
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is generally served with alioli. It’s a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together, and it is frequently the first pan to empty.
What paella catering costs
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Timings and hours
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- How many guests are eating
- Your choice of paellas
Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What to tell us
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- The address or venue name
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
Planning live paella in Elmhurst
Elmhurst is about 1 mile north-east of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire. We bring paella catering to gardens, halls and venues around Elmhurst and the surrounding area. Elmhurst is one of 263 towns and villages in Buckinghamshire where we cook. Our nearest city page is Milton Keynes, about 15 miles away.
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Elmhurst School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For guests coming by train, Aylesbury station is about 0.9 miles away. The Chilterns National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Elmhurst, 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.
We cook at events all over HP20, HP19 and HP21. We can cater an event on streets such as Cock Lane, Vale Road and Manor Road or the roads around them. Elmhurst is on the A4157, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. If your venue is just outside Elmhurst, we also cover New Zealand (1 mile west), Watermead (1 mile north), Aylesbury (1 mile south-west), Queens Park (1 mile south) and Quarrendon Estate (1 mile west). Further out, we also cater in High Wycombe (14 miles south), Chesham (12 miles south-east), Buckingham (14 miles north-west), Amersham (14 miles south-east), Princes Risborough (7 miles south) and Haddenham (6 miles south-west). Elmhurst is one of the larger places we cover in Buckinghamshire, with lots of choice for events.
Well-known places in the area include Roald Dahl Children's Gallery (0.7 miles south-west) and Tindal Centre (less than half a mile south-east).
- Schools near Elmhurst include Stocklake Park Community School (0.5 miles south) and Aylesbury Grammar School (0.9 miles south)
- Local pubs include The New Zealand pub (less than half a mile west)
DIY paella versus live catering
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Space, weather and the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
What we offer
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
Planners, venues and businesses
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
- 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