Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Itchen Stoke events
Planning paella catering in Itchen Stoke? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Milestone birthday parties
- Company summer parties
Planning an event in Itchen Stoke?
Itchen Stoke: your questions answered
Is Itchen Stoke too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
How far is Itchen Stoke from London?
About 56 miles from central London, and well within our area.
How many paellas should we have?
Typically two or three, so every guest has a choice. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
What areas do you cover?
We cater across London and the South East, Hampshire included. Find your area.
Do we need to provide equipment?
We bring all the cooking equipment. Tell us what the venue provides, such as tables or crockery.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
How much paella per person?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
How our paella catering works in Itchen Stoke
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, there is very little waste, and the food arrives hot. That’s why it works for so many events. For naming days and family parties and staff parties and work lunches, we’ll put together a menu of vegetable paella, chicken and chorizo paella and mixed paella for your guests.
Somewhere as small as Itchen Stoke, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
The process
Expect a friendly, organised team. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and cook and serve without fuss. Evenings in Itchen Stoke stay light until about 9:25pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:10pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
How to prepare
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
How to get a price
It is easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Related guides
Planning live paella in Itchen Stoke
Itchen Stoke is about 5 miles north-east of Winchester, in Hampshire. Wherever your event is in the SO24 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. Itchen Stoke is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire we cover. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 14 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Perins School, can book us as a food stall. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like St Mary's Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Anywhere in SO24, we can bring paella catering to you. You’ll find Itchen Stoke on the B3047, so it’s easy for us to reach with the van and pans. We also cook at events in Ovington (1 mile south-east), Itchen Abbas (1 mile west), Martyr Worthy (2 miles west), Temple Valley (3 miles south-west) and Easton (3 miles west). Larger places within reach include Basingstoke (13 miles north), Winchester (5 miles south-west), Eastleigh (10 miles south-west), Andover (15 miles north-west), Horndean (15 miles south-east) and Chandler's Ford (11 miles south-west).
Nearby you’ll also find St John's Rooms And Chapel (4.7 miles south-west) and Wolvesey Castle (4.8 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Twyford Down and Winnall Moors.
- Local pubs include The Bush Inn (0.5 miles south-east)
About the dishes
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, finished with lemon wedges. It is usually the most photographed pan.
Paella compared with other options
If you want something different from the usual buffet or roast, live paella adds colour, smell and theatre. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before booking.
Why Itchen Stoke hosts choose us
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Catering across Hampshire, including Itchen Stoke
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
See Our pricing And The cost guide.
DIY paella versus live catering
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Where we can cook in Itchen Stoke
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Itchen Stoke
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
Places near Itchen Stoke
What else we do in Itchen Stoke
Organising for someone else?
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Put allergy details in writing
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
Why choose paella catering in Itchen Stoke?
Live paella is food and a show in one. The pans become a focal point, and the food is hot and generous.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Itchen Stoke, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Company summer parties
- Garden get-togethers
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
Historic houses near Itchen Stoke include Hinton Ampner House (4 miles south-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Comparing caterers
- Whether VAT is included
- A clear list of what’s included
- The venue requirements
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- 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