Isle of Wight · England
Live paella catering in Forest Side, Isle of Wight
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Forest Side.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Naming days and family parties
- Community events and fairs
Paella catering in Forest Side
Paella catering for your event in Forest Side
Paella is generous food: big pans, bright colours and a crispy base everyone wants a spoonful of. It turns a meal into an occasion. For milestone birthday parties and christenings and family gatherings, we’ll put together a menu of seafood paella, vegetable paella and vegan paella and more.
Somewhere like Forest Side, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
- Location
- Forest Side (PO30)
- County
- Isle of Wight
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron.
Why choose live paella in Forest Side?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked live and served hot. The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Forest Side
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Catering across the Isle of Wight, including Forest Side
Take a look at Our prices page Or The cost guide.
Catering an event in Forest Side
Forest Side is about 1 mile north-west of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. Whether your event is in the middle of Forest Side or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Forest Side is one of 125 places in the Isle of Wight where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Forest Side to Southampton (15 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Carisbrooke Castle (1.3 miles south) and Swainston Manor (2.7 miles south-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St. Mary's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The coast is within about 4 miles of Forest Side, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Paella catering in PO30 is planned around your venue and your guests. Streets in the area include Forest Road and Gunville Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Hunny Hill (1 mile east), Parkhurst (1 mile north-east), Noke Common (1 mile north-east), Porchfield (2 miles north-west) and Locksgreen (2 miles west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Ryde (7 miles east), Cowes (4 miles north), Sandown (8 miles south-east), Shanklin (8 miles south-east), Ventnor (9 miles south-east) and East Cowes (4 miles north-east). Remote venues take a little more planning, so ask early about your event.
Nearby you’ll also find Carisbrooke Castle (1.3 miles south) and St Mary's Hospital (1 mile east). The countryside around Forest Side includes Mill Hill and Briddlesford Nature Reserve.
- Nearby schools include Hunnyhill Primary School (0.7 miles east) and Island Innovation VI Form Campus (1.3 miles south-east)
FAQs for Forest Side
We are having a ceremony at St. Mary's Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is Forest Side too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cook indoors?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, since the burners are gas. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas first, paella to follow.
How soon do we need to book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook on the day, serving it hot from the pan.
Which areas do you serve?
We cater across London and the South East, including the Isle of Wight. See all areas.
How it works
The paella is cooked in huge, shallow pans over gas burners. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, which we agree with you beforehand. Planning an evening event in Forest Side? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Get a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
Read more
Diets, allergies and planning
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 how many children are coming
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving, and that’s when we invite guests up.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue doesn’t provide them.
Towns and villages near Forest Side
More for events in Forest Side
Perfect for your event in Forest Side
There’s no kitchen needed, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Birthday celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Carisbrooke College, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What your quote should include
- A clear list of what’s included
- How late numbers can change
- Travel and parking costs
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
DIY paella versus live catering
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
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.
Working with your venue
Throwing 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.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
What we need at the venue
No two venues are the same, so we’ll ask about yours when you contact us. In general, we need:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
For somewhere as remote as Forest Side, early notice helps us plan the trip.
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Menu ideas
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- 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