Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Highwood
Planning paella catering in Highwood? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Company summer parties
Paella catering near Highwood
How our paella catering works in Highwood
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field in and around Highwood. Popular choices include paella Valenciana, seafood paella and mixed paella, and we are frequently booked for fairs, fêtes and festivals and leaving dos and retirements.
Somewhere as small as Highwood, a garden or field is often the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan.
Highwood: your questions answered
Can you cook at venues in the New Forest National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Do you come out to small places like Highwood?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
How long does the paella take?
We get there in good time to set up. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Can you supply plates?
We can. Let us know what you have, and we will quote for the rest.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Which paella is most popular?
Two or three is usual: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. Our menu lists the options.
What is live paella catering?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook in front of your guests, and serve when you’re ready to eat.
Can you serve drinks?
Yes, sangria. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
The menu, dish by dish
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Live paella in Highwood: local details
Highwood is about 2 miles north-east of Ringwood, in Hampshire. For an event in Highwood, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Highwood is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire we cover. Our events stretch from Highwood to Southampton (16 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St John the Baptist, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. Historic houses near Highwood include Avon Tyrrell House (4.6 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The New Forest National Park is within about 4 miles of Highwood. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
For paella catering in BH24, we plan around your venue and your guests. For events just outside Highwood, we cover Hangersley (1 mile south), Rockford (1 mile north-west), Shobley (1 mile south-east), Forest Corner (1 mile south-east) and Blashford (1 mile west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Totton (12 miles east), Lymington (12 miles south-east), Romsey (15 miles north-east), New Milton (9 miles south-east), Barton on Sea (10 miles south-east) and Dibden Purlieu (15 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include St Leonard's Hospital (5.5 miles south-west). The countryside around Highwood includes Linbrook Lake and Blashford Lakes.
- Local schools include Ringwood School Academy (1.7 miles south-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find Alice Lisle Inn (0.8 miles north-west)
For planners, venues and organisers
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Perfect for your event in Highwood
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, thanks to separate pans for each version. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Big birthdays
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Poulner Infant School, can book us as a food stall.
What to look for in a quote
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Whether travel is included
Before you choose a spot
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Highwood
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Places near Highwood
What else we do in Highwood
Planning for every diet
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Mention any other courses or food
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Put allergy details in writing
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
How we price paella catering
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- How long we’re needed on site
- Guest numbers
- Travel, parking and access
- Your choice of paellas
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
What to tell us
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Paella compared with other options
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and generally costs more per head. 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 us?
- We cover Highwood and the whole of Hampshire
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
See How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
How the day works
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Guests normally gather round to watch while it cooks. Planning an evening event in Highwood? 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.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Give us a contact for the day
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
How to get a price
Send us the date, your venue or BH24 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
- 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