Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Hook Common, Hampshire
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Hook Common.
- Birthday celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Family celebrations and christenings
Paella catering near Hook Common
Paella catering in Hook Common, cooked live
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields. On the menu are paella Valenciana, seafood paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and we’re frequently booked for christenings and family gatherings and company summer parties.
In a small place like Hook Common, events are usually in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
Space, weather and the venue
Every venue is different, so we’ll ask about yours when you get in touch. Generally, we look for:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Hook Common
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
Common questions in Hook Common
How far is Hook Common from London?
About 41 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St John the Evangelist?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
How far ahead should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it’s short notice, it is worth asking.
Do you cover Hook Common?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and Hook Common is within our area. To check your date, fill in our quote form.
Can you cook in the rain?
Rain doesn’t stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We will make a plan B with you.
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. Send us a picture if you’re not sure.
Do you cook it at the event?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Yes, that is what it is made for. We size pans and serving points to your guest list.
Planners, venues and businesses
Organising a club, school or community event in Hook Common? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Hook Common: venues, travel and local tips
Hook Common is about 1 mile south-west of Hook, in Hampshire. We cook at events in gardens, halls and venues around Hook Common. Hook Common is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. You can also see our page for Reading, about 12 miles away.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St John the Evangelist, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Hook Infant School, can book us as a food stall.
For paella catering in RG27, we plan around your venue and your guests. Your event could be at a home on London Road, Newnham Road and Hook Common or the roads around them. We also cook at events in Nately Scures (1 mile south-west), Newnham (1 mile north-west), Hook (1 mile north-east), Warnborough Green (1 mile south-east) and Up Nately (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cater in Basingstoke (6 miles west), Farnborough (9 miles east), Fleet (6 miles east), Aldershot (9 miles east), Alton (9 miles south) and Yateley (7 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find West Green House Agricultural Museum (2.5 miles north-east) and Odiham Castle (1.2 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Tundry Hill and The Mill Field.
- Local schools include Robert May's School (1.9 miles south-east)
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Why choose live paella in Hook Common?
For something a little different, live paella brings colour, aroma and a touch of Spain to your event in Hook Common. Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why Hook Common hosts choose us
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Events in Hook Common and across Hampshire
Take a look at How we price And The cost guide.
Step by step
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. Around midsummer it stays light in Hook Common until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Let us know the timings for the day
How to get a price
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
Read more
Prices and what affects them
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- The paellas you choose
- Parking and unloading
- How many guests are eating
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
What to tell us
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The address or venue name
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Send us the date, your venue or RG27 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, use our quote form.
Also near Hook Common
More for events in Hook Common
Perfect for your event in Hook Common
It needs no kitchen, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Big birthdays
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Hook station, about 0.5 miles east.
Comparing caterers
- Who provides the crockery
- Payment terms and deposit
- The venue requirements
- If the price includes VAT
- 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