Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Isington
Love Paella cooks live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Isington and Hampshire, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Paella catering for Isington events
About our paella catering in Isington
One cooking area feeds plenty of people, there’s very little waste, and the food arrives hot. It’s why live paella suits so many kinds of event. We are often asked to cater family celebrations and christenings and garden get-togethers, with black rice, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella.
In a small place like Isington, events are typically 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. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
Is live paella right for your event?
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Why book with us
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- No hidden extras in your quote
- We cover Isington and the whole of Hampshire
- Drinks service on request
Read How we price And What paella catering costs.
Isington: venues, travel and local tips
Isington is about 4 miles north-east of Alton, in Hampshire. Give us the address of your event in Isington, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. Isington is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 14 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Binsted Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Nearby historic houses include Farnham Castle (4.6 miles north-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. Isington is within about 8 miles of the Surrey Hills 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.
Wherever your event is in GU34, we can cook for your guests. For events just outside Isington, we cover Binsted (1 mile south), Blacknest (1 mile east), Bentley (1 mile north-east), Bucks Horn Oak (2 miles east) and Frithend (2 miles south-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Basingstoke (11 miles north-west), Farnborough (10 miles north-east), Fleet (7 miles north), Aldershot (7 miles north-east), Alton (4 miles south-west) and Petersfield (12 miles south).
Well-known places in the area include Chase Community Hospital (5 miles south) and Barley Pound (2.8 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Farnham Heath and Holybourne Hill.
- Local pubs include The Star Inn (1 mile north-east)
Planning for every diet
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Ask for labels on each pan
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If timings shift, we adapt.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago, or serve your own cake.
What’s in the pans
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It is a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, finished with lemon wedges. It’s normally the most photographed pan.
Events we cater in Isington
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food is hot and generous.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Isington and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
For guests coming by train, Bentley (Hampshire) station is about 0.8 miles away.
What to look for in a quote
- A clear list of what’s included
- The venue requirements
- How each diet is kept separate
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Before you choose a spot
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
Popular choices
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Should I cook it myself?
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.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Prices and what affects them
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Waiting and bar staff
- The number of people
- Timings and hours
- Whether you need crockery
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What to tell us
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- Which courses you have in mind
- The date and time of the event
- Anything your venue supplies
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: fill in our quote form.
Also near Isington
Also in Isington
What happens on the day
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell generally draws people over. In Isington, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are usually served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 4:00pm, 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.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Preparing for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Getting a price
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Planning help
Isington questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of the Holy Cross?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you come out to small places like Isington?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you supply plates?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
Is halal food available?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
Is paella enough as a main?
It’s a full meal on its own. Tapas and desserts can be added if you like.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Will there be enough food?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. See how much paella per person.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often 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