Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Gilbert Street, Hampshire
Looking for paella catering in Gilbert Street? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Retirement celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Garden get-togethers
Planning an event in Gilbert Street?
Should I cook it myself?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
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.
How our paella catering works in Gilbert Street
The cooking is half the fun. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the aroma does the rest. We are often asked to cater leaving dos and retirements and weddings and evening receptions, serving seafood paella, mixed paella and vegetable paella.
Somewhere as small as Gilbert Street, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served the moment it is ready.
Occasions we cook for in Gilbert Street
It needs no kitchen, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Garden get-togethers
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Ropley Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Comparing caterers
- Who provides the crockery
- How long the team stays
- VAT, if it applies
- The deposit and payment dates
Catering for every guest
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Let us know about other food at the event
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
FAQs for Gilbert Street
Is Gilbert Street too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Peter?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it’s cooked separately.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
Do you cater in Gilbert Street?
Yes. We cater across London and the South East, and Gilbert Street is within our area and the rest of Hampshire. To check your date, fill in our quote form.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Do you bring everything you need?
We bring all the cooking equipment. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
Is paella a full meal?
Paella is a meal in itself. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Also near Gilbert Street
What else we do in Gilbert Street
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s the pan people photograph.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a paella that stands on its own. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Step by step
We work to your timings. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we hold the paella at the right stage so it’s still served fresh. Planning an evening event in Gilbert Street? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Getting a price
Planning paella catering in Gilbert Street? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, use our quote form.
Read more
For event organisers in Gilbert Street
Throwing a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Planning live paella in Gilbert Street
Gilbert Street is about 6 miles south-west of Alton, in Hampshire. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Gilbert Street and nearby villages. We cook in 683 places across Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 18 miles away.
Historic houses near Gilbert Street include Bentworth Hall (4.2 miles north) and Hall Place (4.7 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Peter, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
We cover events in every part of the SO24 postcode area. From Andrew's Lane, Gilbert Street and Swelling Hill or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Ropley (1 mile south-west), Kitwood (1 mile north-east), North Street (1 mile north-west), Charlwood (1 mile south-east) and Ropley Dean (1 mile west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Basingstoke (12 miles north), Winchester (11 miles west), Eastleigh (15 miles south-west), Horndean (13 miles south), Alton (6 miles north-east) and Waterlooville (14 miles south).
Well-known places in the area include Barton Castle (4.1 miles north-west) and Alton Community Hospital (4.8 miles north-east). Open spaces near Gilbert Street include Shutts Copse and Red Hill.
Paella compared with other options
For something a little different, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre to your event in Gilbert Street. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
What you get with us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Read How we price Or The cost guide.
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Level ground for the pans and burners
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Popular choices
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo 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