Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Hursley, Hampshire
Planning paella catering in Hursley? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Anniversary celebrations
Planning an event in Hursley?
Paella catering for your event in Hursley
You can keep it simple or build a full menu: paella on its own, or with canapés, table tapas, desserts and sangria. We will suggest what suits your event. We are often asked to cater big birthdays and staff parties and work lunches, serving mixed paella, paella Valenciana and vegetable paella.
For a rural spot like Hursley, the countryside is part of the appeal: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Tell us about access and the ground. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Step by step
When the rice goes in, it is left alone. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Around midsummer it stays light in Hursley until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- 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
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Getting a price
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
What else we do in Hursley
Why choose live paella in Hursley?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why Hursley hosts choose us
- Catering across Hampshire, including Hursley
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
See Our prices page Or The cost guide.
Your questions about paella catering in Hursley
Is Hursley too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of All Saints?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you provide dessert?
We do. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices, or you can serve your own cake.
Which areas do you serve?
We cover London and the South East, Hampshire included. See all areas.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will talk it through before the day.
Do you take everything away?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Is paella enough as a main?
Yes. With bread and salad, paella is a complete main.
Occasions we cook for in Hursley
It suits relaxed, sociable events, with guests mingling as it cooks before sitting down to eat.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Retirement celebrations
- Garden get-togethers
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Anniversary celebrations
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like John Keble Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What your quote should include
- When final numbers are due
- What happens if it rains
- Allergen information for each dish
- Space, access and power needs
How we price paella catering
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Your choice of paellas
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What we need to know
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- Expected numbers
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- The date and time of the event
- Any dietary needs and allergies
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, use our quote form.
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a paella that stands on its own. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, not seafood. It’s frequently the most popular pan at an event.
For planners, venues and organisers
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Organising a club, school or community event in Hursley? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. 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.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Catering an event in Hursley
Hursley is about 3 miles north of Chandler's Ford, in Hampshire. Events in Hursley are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Hursley is one of 683 places in Hampshire we cover. We cook right across the region, from Hursley to Southampton (about 7 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Shawford station is about 2.7 miles away. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of All Saints, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Here we cover the SO21 postcode area. From Sussex Close, Heathcote Place and Port Lane or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. If your venue is just outside Hursley, we also cover Ladwell (1 mile south), Oliver's Battery (2 miles north-east), Compton (2 miles east), Otterbourne (2 miles south-east) and South Down (2 miles east). Further out, we also cater in Winchester (4 miles north-east), Eastleigh (4 miles south-east), Fareham (15 miles south-east), Andover (13 miles north), Totton (9 miles south-west) and Chandler's Ford (3 miles south).
Other landmarks nearby include Winchester Castle (3.9 miles north-east) and Royal Hampshire County Hospital (3.6 miles north-east). Open spaces near Hursley include Twyford Down and Flexford Nature Reserve.
- Nearby schools include Thornden School (2.5 miles south-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The King's Head pub (under half a mile south)
Planning the cooking area
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We need:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
On the menu in Hursley
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed 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