West Berkshire · England
Live paella catering in Hungerford, West Berkshire
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 Hungerford.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Anniversary celebrations
- Retirement and leaving parties
Planning an event in Hungerford?
About our paella catering in Hungerford
The cooking is half the fun. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the smell does the rest. On the menu are seafood paella, vegan paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and we are regularly asked to cater festivals, fairs and school events and retirement and leaving parties.
For a place the size of Hungerford, your own garden is frequently the best venue: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Tell us about access down the lane or drive. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it’s hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
- Where
- Hungerford (RG17)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Is live paella right for your event?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why us?
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Hungerford: your questions answered
Which station should guests use for Hungerford?
Hungerford station, in Hungerford itself.
Can you cook at venues in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will follow the site rules.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Are premium seafood options available?
We’ll suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Does paella work for big events?
Yes. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices, or you can serve your own cake.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Paella catering around Hungerford
Hungerford is about 8 miles west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. For an event in Hungerford, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. We cover all 155 towns and villages across West Berkshire. We cook right across the region, from Hungerford to Reading (23 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Hungerford Primary School, can book us as a food stall. For guests coming by train, Hungerford station is in Hungerford itself. Hungerford is within about 7 miles of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, 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.
This part of West Berkshire takes in RG17. Whether your event is on High Street, Lancaster Square and Station Road or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. Hungerford sits on or near the A4 and A338, which makes travel to your event easy. If your venue is just outside Hungerford, we also cover Eddington (1 mile north-east), Upper Eddington (1 mile north), Leverton (1 mile north), Chilton Foliat (2 miles north-west) and Woodlands St Mary (4 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Newbury (8 miles east), Thatcham (11 miles east), Speenhamland (8 miles east), Lambourn (7 miles north), Shaw (9 miles east) and Kingsclere (13 miles south-east). Being one of West Berkshire’s larger places, Hungerford has lots of places to hold an event.
Green spaces nearby include Kintbury Newt Ponds and Inkpen Hill.
- Nearby schools include John O'Gaunt School (0.6 miles south)
- Local pubs include The Borough Arms (under half a mile east)
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
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. Evenings in Hungerford stay light until about 9:25pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:10pm; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Preparing for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Share the running order, including any speeches
How to get a price
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we will suggest a menu. To start, use our quote form.
Planning help
Planning the cooking area
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Level ground for the pans and burners
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
On the menu in Hungerford
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
What paella catering costs
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Guest numbers
- How many staff you need
- The length of service
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Details that help
These details help us quote quickly:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Anything your venue supplies
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and time of the event
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
For planners, venues and organisers
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Places near Hungerford
Other catering in Hungerford
Perfect for your event in Hungerford
People book live paella because it is food and entertainment at once. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Naming days and family parties
- Community events and fairs
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Lawrence, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether travel is included
- What the price includes, item by item
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- The venue requirements
- 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