Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Hipley, Hampshire
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Hipley.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
Live paella catering in Hipley
About our paella catering in Hipley
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That’s exactly what we bring to your event in Hipley. On the menu are vegetable paella, mixed paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater community events and fairs and birthday celebrations.
For a rural spot like Hipley, the countryside is part of the appeal: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Tell us about access and the ground. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, never made in advance and reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
The process
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Around midsummer it stays light in Hipley until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Give us a contact for the day
Ask for a quote
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Hipley: venues, travel and local tips
Hipley is about 4 miles west of Waterlooville, in Hampshire. We cater events at homes, gardens and venues in Hipley and nearby villages. We cater in 683 places in Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Hipley to Southampton (12 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Portchester station, about 3.6 miles south. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Newtown Soberton Infant School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Wherever your event is in PO7, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Close by, we cover events in Worlds End (1 mile east), Hoe Gate (1 mile north), Newtown (1 mile north-west), Southend (1 mile north) and Soberton Heath (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Winchester (14 miles north-west), Gosport (7 miles south), Havant (6 miles south-east), Eastleigh (11 miles north-west), Fareham (5 miles south-west) and Horndean (5 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Queen Alexandra Hospital (4 miles south-east) and Portchester Castle (4.4 miles south). Open spaces near Hipley include Portsdown Hill and St Clair's Meadow.
Prices and what affects them
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, because of:
- How many courses
- Distance and access to the venue
- How long we are needed on site
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
What we need to know
These details help us quote quickly:
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Anything your venue supplies
- The courses you’d like
Planning paella catering in Hipley? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just fill in our quote form.
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It is often the most popular pan at an event.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
For event organisers in Hipley
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Organising a club, school or community event in Hipley? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Nearby places to Hipley
Also in Hipley
Live paella or other catering?
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why book with us
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- We cover Hipley and the whole of Hampshire
- No hidden extras in your quote
Take a look at Our prices page And The cost guide.
Common questions in Hipley
What’s the nearest station to Hipley for guests?
The closest is Portchester station, roughly 3.6 miles away.
We are having a ceremony at Church of the Holy Trinity: can you cater afterwards?
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 cook it at the event?
Yes. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, where your guests can watch.
Do you do vegan paella?
Of course. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
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, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Can you cook in the rain?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
Planning for every diet
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Count adults and children separately
- Request clear labels at the serving table
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can relax.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
Occasions we cook for in Hipley
It suits relaxed, sociable events, with guests mingling as it cooks before sitting down to eat.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Milestone birthday parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Christenings and family gatherings
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of the Holy Trinity, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Before you book anyone
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- What the price includes, item by item
- VAT, if it applies
- The deposit and payment dates
Where we can cook in Hipley
We will be honest if a space won’t work, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Hipley
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- 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