Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Ibsley events
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Ibsley and Hampshire, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Garden get-togethers
- Staff parties and work lunches
Planning an event in Ibsley?
Paella catering in Ibsley, made fresh on the day
There’s something generous about paella: huge pans, saffron colour and a toasted crust that everyone fights over. It makes the food an event in itself. On the menu are black rice, paella Valenciana and seafood paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater retirement celebrations and christenings and family gatherings.
In a small place like Ibsley, events are typically in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Diets, allergies and planning
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Confirm allergies by email
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
Why choose live paella in Ibsley?
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Why book with us
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Take a look at How we price Or What paella catering costs.
Nearby places to Ibsley
More for events in Ibsley
Questions from Ibsley
Do you cater in the New Forest National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
We’re having a ceremony at Church of St Martins: can you cater afterwards?
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.
Can you feed a lot of people?
Yes. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
What equipment do you bring?
We bring all the cooking equipment. Tell us what the venue provides, such as tables or crockery.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria can be added, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Do you cover Ibsley?
We do. We cook at events in Ibsley and across Hampshire. Send us your date to check availability.
Is halal food available?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
What space do you need to cook?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a picture.
Perfect for your event in Ibsley
It’s ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, where guests can mingle while it cooks and then sit down to share.
These are some of the occasions we cater in Ibsley and Hampshire:
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Community events and fairs
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Company summer parties
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Martins, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Questions to ask before booking
- The wet-weather plan
- The venue requirements
- Allergen information for each dish
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
How it works
When the rice goes in, it is left alone. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell typically draws people over. In Ibsley, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:05pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we will suggest a menu. To start, use our quote form.
Planning help
Planning live paella in Ibsley
Ibsley is in Hampshire. For paella catering in Ibsley, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cook in all 683 towns and villages across Hampshire. Our events stretch from Ibsley to Southampton (17 miles away).
Ibsley is within about 6 miles of the New Forest National Park, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cover events in every part of BH24 and the streets around it. We can cater an event on streets such as Mockbeggar Lane and Salisbury Road or the roads around them. Other places close to Ibsley for paella catering include Mockbeggar (1 mile east), Harbridge (1 mile north-west), Rockford (1 mile south-east), Ellingham (1 mile south-west) and South Gorley (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include Totton (12 miles east), Lymington (14 miles south-east), Romsey (15 miles north-east), New Milton (11 miles south-east), Ringwood (3 miles south) and Barton on Sea (11 miles south-east).
A little further out are Fordingbridge Doll Museum (2.9 miles north) and Godshill Castle Hill (4.2 miles north). Not far away are Linbrook Lake and Blashford Lakes.
- Local pubs include The Old Beams Inn (within half a mile west)
Space, weather and the venue
We’ll be honest if a space will not work, and help find another spot. The main points are:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
What affects the price in Ibsley
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- The number of people
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Whether you need crockery
- Your choice of paellas
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Getting an accurate quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- The venue or postcode
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Your date and when you want to eat
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, use our quote form.
For planners, venues and organisers
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Hosting a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
About the dishes
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, and is typically served with alioli. It’s a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron.
- 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