Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Hale, Hampshire
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Hale: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Birthday celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Christenings and family gatherings
Planning an event in Hale?
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
How our paella catering works in Hale
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. Popular choices include chicken and chorizo paella, vegetable paella and black rice, and we are often booked for wedding breakfasts and evening food and anniversaries and engagement parties.
In a rural place like Hale, the setting does a lot of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Tell us about access and the ground. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
What we need at the venue
Every venue is different, so we’ll ask about yours before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly.
What we offer
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
The menu, dish by dish
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood.
How it works
Expect a friendly, organised team. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Planning an evening event in Hale? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Getting ready for the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Ask for a quote
Send us the date, your venue or SP6 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Live paella or other catering?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why book with us
- Events in Hale and across Hampshire
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Take a look at How we price And What paella catering costs.
Questions from Hale
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you come out to small places like Hale?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
What about pudding?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
How soon do we need to book?
The sooner the better. Peak dates go quickly, so get in touch early.
Can you supply plates?
If you need them, yes. Proper crockery or quality disposables are available.
What space do you need to cook?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Prices and what affects them
Every event is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- Travel, parking and access
- Guest numbers
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
The cost per head normally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
What to tell us
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- Where the event is
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Roughly how many adults and children
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we will suggest a menu. To start, fill in our quote form.
Towns and villages near Hale
What else we do in Hale
Live paella in Hale: local details
Hale is in Hampshire. We cook at events in gardens, halls and venues around Hale and nearby villages. We cook in 683 places in Hampshire. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 15 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Breamore House (2.5 miles west) and Landford Manor (4.3 miles east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Hale Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Here we cover the SP6 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Local streets include Hatchet Green and Queen Street; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Close by, we cover events in Hatchet Green (1 mile north-east) and North Charford (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Totton (10 miles east), Chandler's Ford (15 miles east), Romsey (11 miles east), New Milton (15 miles south), Ringwood (9 miles south) and Marchwood (13 miles south-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Salisbury District Hospital (5.8 miles north-west) and Downton Moot Close (1.6 miles north-west).
- Nearby schools include The Trafalgar School at Downton (1.9 miles north-west)
- Local pubs include Woodfalls Inn (0.6 miles north-east)
Dietary needs and planning tips
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Tell us what else is being served
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
Organising for someone else?
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
- 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