Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Holbury events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Holbury: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Garden get-togethers
Book paella catering in Holbury
DIY paella versus live catering
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, 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 enjoy the party, let us cook.
About our paella catering in Holbury
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields in and around Holbury. We are often asked to cater retirement celebrations and festivals, fairs and school events, with black rice, mixed paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
In a smaller place like Holbury, a garden party is often the simplest option: no venue hire, and nobody stuck cooking. Tell us about access down the lane or drive. We serve straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
What affects the price in Holbury
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- The paellas you choose
- How long we are needed on site
- Distance and access to the venue
- Whether you need crockery
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Getting an accurate quote
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Where the event is
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Space, weather and the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before you book.
On the menu in Holbury
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
Paella catering around Holbury
Holbury is about 2 miles south of Hythe, in Hampshire. Across the SO45 area, we will come to your venue or garden. We cook in 683 places across Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 6 miles away.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as The Good Shepherd, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Netley station, about 3.8 miles north-east. Holbury is within about 4 miles of the New Forest National Park, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking. Holbury is within about 4 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
We cater events across SO45 and the streets around it. Whether your event is on Beechwood Road, Park Hill Close and Pondhead Close or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. For events just outside Holbury, we cover Little Holbury (1 mile north-west), Roughdown (1 mile south), Hardley (1 mile north), Blackfield (1 mile south-east) and Langley (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include Gosport (10 miles east), Eastleigh (10 miles north), Fareham (8 miles east), Totton (8 miles north-west), Chandler's Ford (11 miles north) and Hedge End (7 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Beaulieu Abbey And Display Of Monastic Life (3.1 miles west) and Calshot Castle (3.4 miles east). The countryside around Holbury includes Mercury Marshes.
- Local schools include The New Forest Academy (0.7 miles north)
Diets, allergies and planning
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Have seats for most of your guests
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal, or serve your own cake.
What happens on the day
Watching it cook is half the fun. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. Around midsummer it stays light in Holbury until about 9:20pm; 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.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Before we arrive
- Give us a contact for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Getting a price
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Related guides
Events we cater in Holbury
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Big birthdays
Nearby historic houses include Beaulieu Palace House (2.9 miles west) and Medieval Merchant's House (5 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Comparing caterers
- Staff numbers and hours
- Travel and parking costs
- The deposit and payment dates
- The wet-weather plan
Towns and villages near Holbury
More for events in Holbury
What’s in the pans
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan, and it’s frequently the first pan to empty.
Holbury: your questions answered
What’s the nearest station to Holbury for guests?
The closest is Netley station, roughly 3.8 miles away.
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Good Shepherd?
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.
How do you work out quantities?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Do you do starters?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
How many paellas should we have?
Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Can you cater for children?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
Paella compared with other options
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre to your event in Holbury. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why choose Love Paella in Holbury
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- A quote that spells everything out
Read Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
- 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