Southampton · England
Live paella catering in Hillyfields, Southampton
Paella for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Hillyfields.
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Planning an event in Hillyfields?
About our paella catering in Hillyfields
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields. We are often asked to cater company summer parties and anniversaries and engagement parties, serving vegetable paella, black rice and vegan paella.
In a smaller place like Hillyfields, a garden party is often the simplest option: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Tell us about access down the lane or drive. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
- Location
- Hillyfields (SO16)
- Region
- Southampton
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
For event organisers in Hillyfields
Events in public spaces, like parks, typically need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will talk you through the process. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
How the day works
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Around midsummer it stays light in Hillyfields until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Ask for a quote
Planning paella catering in Hillyfields? Send us the details and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just use our quote form.
Related guides
Also in Hillyfields
What affects the price in Hillyfields
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- The length of service
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Waiting and bar staff
- The paellas you choose
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We’ll send you a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Diets and allergies you know about
- The date and time of the event
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: use our quote form.
Planning live paella in Hillyfields
Hillyfields is about 2 miles north-west of Regents Park, in Southampton. Events in Hillyfields are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cover all 40 towns and villages across Southampton.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in St James' Park? Public parks normally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. For guests coming by train, Redbridge station is about 1.1 miles away. The New Forest National Park is within about 7 miles of Hillyfields, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours. The coast is within about 4 miles of Hillyfields, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Paella catering in SO16 is planned around your venue and timings. That could mean an event in a garden on Maplin Road, Colne Avenue and Hayburn Road or the roads around them. Hillyfields is on the M271, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. For events just outside Hillyfields, we cover Nursling (1 mile north), Maybush (1 mile south-east), Upton (1 mile north), Rownhams (1 mile north-east) and Coxford (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Southampton (3 miles east), Townhill Park (5 miles east), Midanbury (5 miles east), Thornhill (6 miles east), Chartwell Green (5 miles east) and Harefield (6 miles east).
A little further out are Marlands Shopping Centre (3.4 miles south-east) and Eling Experience (1.4 miles south-west). Open spaces near Hillyfields include Testwood Lakes.
- Local schools include Oasis Academy Lord's Hill (0.6 miles north-east) and Millbrook Community School (0.6 miles east)
Is live paella right for your event?
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked live and served hot. There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Hillyfields
- Catering across Southampton, including Hillyfields
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
Take a look at Our prices page Or The cost guide.
Your questions about paella catering in Hillyfields
We’re having a ceremony at All Saints: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
What’s the nearest station to Hillyfields for guests?
The closest is Redbridge station, roughly 1.1 miles away.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a picture.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we will plan a pan with them in mind.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
How many different paellas?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
It is ideal. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
Can we choose the seafood?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu, including premium options if you want them.
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Mention any other courses or food
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
Paella is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, so we serve when guests are ready.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
DIY paella versus live catering
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Perfect for your event in Hillyfields
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Hillyfields, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Community events and fairs
- Milestone birthday parties
- Anniversary celebrations
Historic houses near Hillyfields include Southampton Tudor House and Garden (3.7 miles south-east) and Medieval Merchant's House (3.8 miles south-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Comparing caterers
- How bad weather is handled
- Whether VAT is included
- When final numbers are due
- The venue requirements
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It’s a striking addition to a seafood menu.
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.
- 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