Oxfordshire · England
Paella Catering in Henley-on-Thames
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Henley-on-Thames: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Naming days and family parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Milestone birthday parties
Book paella catering in Henley-on-Thames
Where we can cook in Henley-on-Thames
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
On the menu in Henley-on-Thames
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
About our paella catering in Henley-on-Thames
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. For staff parties and work lunches and anniversaries and engagement parties, we can cook vegetable paella, black rice and vegan paella.
A place like Henley-on-Thames often has a hall, a club or a pub garden nearby; any can work for paella, with permission and somewhere outside to cook. We plan the timings around your day, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Location
- Henley-on-Thames (RG9)
- Area hub
- Oxfordshire
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
What happens on the day
Service is quick: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. When service is finished, we pack down. In Henley-on-Thames, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Ask for a quote
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote.
Related guides
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
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.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Why choose paella catering in Henley-on-Thames?
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Company summer parties
- Milestone birthday parties
Nearby historic houses include Greys Court (2.3 miles west) and Greenlands (2.4 miles north-east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
Before booking anyone
- The venue requirements
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- The wet-weather plan
FAQs for Henley-on-Thames
Could we have live paella in Mill Meadows?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Do you cater in the Chilterns National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Which paellas do you recommend?
Most events choose two or three: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.
Do you do starters?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
Can you feed a lot of people?
Yes. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
Do you cater in Henley-on-Thames?
Yes. We cater across London and the South East, including Henley-on-Thames and the rest of Oxfordshire. To check your date, use our quote form.
Also near Henley-on-Thames
What else we do in Henley-on-Thames
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Why Henley-on-Thames hosts choose us
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Served hot, straight from the pan
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Working with your venue
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
The menu, dish by dish
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, for guests who want a bit of everything.
Planning live paella in Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is about 5 miles north-east of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Henley-on-Thames and nearby villages. We cater in all 443 towns and villages across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Reading, about 7 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Henley-On-Thames station is in Henley-on-Thames itself. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Holy Trinity Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The Chilterns National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Henley-on-Thames, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
This part of Oxfordshire takes in RG9, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Your event could be at a home on Station Road, Market Place and Normanstead or the roads around them. Henley-on-Thames sits on or near the A321 and A4130, so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. Other places close to Henley-on-Thames for paella catering include Harpsden (1 mile south), Harpsden Bottom (1 mile south-west), Lower Assendon (2 miles north-west), Shiplake Cross (2 miles south) and Binfield Heath (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Thame (15 miles north), Benson (10 miles north-west), Chinnor (12 miles north), Tilehurst (7 miles south-west), Wallingford (11 miles north-west) and Little Heath (8 miles south-west). Henley-on-Thames is among the bigger towns we cover in Oxfordshire, with lots of choice for events.
A little further out are Frazer Nash Archives (0.5 miles south-east). Open spaces near Henley-on-Thames include Sonning Hill and Hurley Chalk Pit.
- Local schools include Rupert House School (0.6 miles north) and Gillotts School (0.8 miles south-west)
- Local pubs include Saracen's Head pub (under half a mile north-west)
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Count adults and children separately
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue doesn’t provide them.
- 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