Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Hurstbourne Priors events
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 Hurstbourne Priors.
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Paella catering near Hurstbourne Priors
Paella catering for your event in Hurstbourne Priors
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. Once it’s ready, we serve it hot from the pan. We cook paella Valenciana, vegan paella and vegetable paella, and we are frequently booked for retirement celebrations and birthday celebrations.
In a hamlet or village like Hurstbourne Priors, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served the moment it is ready.
Events we cater in Hurstbourne Priors
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, thanks to separate pans for each version. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Hurstbourne Priors, people book us for events such as:
- Summer garden parties
- Birthday celebrations
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Weddings and evening receptions
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Testbourne Community School, can book us as a food stall.
Questions to ask before you book
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- What the price includes, item by item
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Try these:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Put allergy details in writing
- Tell us what else is being served
- Tell us how many children are coming
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we time it carefully. If timings shift, we adapt.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
Planning the cooking area
Every venue is different, so we ask about the space before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Also near Hurstbourne Priors
More for events in Hurstbourne Priors
For planners, venues and organisers
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Hurstbourne Priors questions
How far is Hurstbourne Priors from London?
Roughly 59 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
What’s the nearest station to Hurstbourne Priors for guests?
The closest is Whitchurch (Hampshire) station, roughly 2.3 miles away.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Tell us your date and numbers for a clear quote.
How much space do you need?
Less than you might think: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a photo.
What happens if it rains?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll talk it through before the day.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
How long does the paella take?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
What seafood can we have?
Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Prices and what affects them
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Timings and hours
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What we need to know
To check availability and price, we need:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The date and time of the event
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Roughly how many adults and children
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Hurstbourne Priors? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, fill in our quote form.
How it works
We get there well before serving, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch while it cooks. Around midsummer it stays light in Hurstbourne Priors until about 9:25pm; 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.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Give us a contact for the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Get a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Catering an event in Hurstbourne Priors
Hurstbourne Priors is about 5 miles east of Andover, in Hampshire. Across the RG28 area, we can bring the pans to you. Hurstbourne Priors is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 20 miles away.
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Andrew, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Whitchurch (Hampshire) station, about 2.3 miles north-east.
This part of Hampshire takes in RG28. We also cook at events in Firgo (2 miles south-east), Whitchurch (2 miles north-east), Wells-in-the-Field (3 miles north-east), St Mary Bourne (3 miles north) and Freefolk (3 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Basingstoke (12 miles east), Winchester (11 miles south), Andover (5 miles west), Tadley (14 miles north-east), Hyde (10 miles south) and Popley (14 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Andover War Memorial Hospital (5.2 miles west) and Finkley Down Farm Museum (3.4 miles west). The countryside around Hurstbourne Priors includes Anton Lakes.
- Local pubs include The Cricketers Inn (1 mile south)
About the dishes
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It is usually the most photographed pan.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
- 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