Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Keyhaven
Paella for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Keyhaven.
- Summer garden parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Birthday celebrations
Paella catering for Keyhaven events
How our paella catering works in Keyhaven
A couple of different pans covers everyone: meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan paellas. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. Typical bookings include retirement celebrations and festivals, fairs and school events, with chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and vegan paella.
Somewhere as small as Keyhaven, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated.
Occasions we cook for in Keyhaven
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Milestone birthday parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Lymington Town station, about 3 miles north-east.
What your quote should include
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Payment terms and deposit
- How each diet is kept separate
- A clear list of what’s included
Paella compared with other options
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. There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
What you get with us
- Fast service from the pan
- Sangria and bar staff available
- We cover Keyhaven and the whole of Hampshire
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
Read How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Step by step
On the day, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so the timing is planned around your event. Around midsummer it stays light in Keyhaven until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 4:05pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
Ask for a quote
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we will suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: use our quote form.
Planning help
DIY paella versus live catering
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Keyhaven: venues, travel and local tips
Keyhaven is about 3 miles south of Lymington, in Hampshire. Give us the address of your event in Keyhaven, and we’ll plan access and set-up. Keyhaven is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. Our events stretch from Keyhaven to Southampton (about 16 miles away).
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Milford-on-Sea Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall. 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. The New Forest National Park is within about 7 miles of Keyhaven. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours. The coast is within about 3 miles of Keyhaven, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
For paella catering in SO41, we plan around your venue. From New Road, Keyhaven Road and Saltgrass Lane or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. If your venue is just outside Keyhaven, we also cover Milford on Sea (1 mile west), Lymore (1 mile north-west), Lower Pennington (1 mile north-east), Everton (2 miles north-west) and Pennington (2 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Totton (14 miles north), Hythe (12 miles north-east), New Milton (4 miles north-west), Ringwood (13 miles north-west), Warsash (15 miles north-east) and Barton on Sea (4 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery (2.8 miles north-east) and Yarmouth Castle (3.3 miles east). Open spaces near Keyhaven include Milford on Sea LNR and Tennyson Down.
- Nearby schools include Priestlands School (2.2 miles north)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Gun Public House (within half a mile south-east)
Diets, allergies and planning
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Mention any other courses or food
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Request clear labels at the serving table
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
Common questions in Keyhaven
Do you come out to small places like Keyhaven?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Which station should guests use for Keyhaven?
The closest is Lymington Town station, roughly 3 miles away.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, while the rice is cooking.
What areas do you cover?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Keyhaven.
When should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it’s short notice, it is worth asking.
Are premium seafood options available?
We will talk through seafood options when we plan your menu, including premium options if you want them.
What space do you need to cook?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Planning the cooking area
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
What we offer
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
Organising for someone else?
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Keyhaven? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Towns and villages near Keyhaven
More for events in Keyhaven
Prices and what affects them
There is nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many staff you need
- The length of service
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. We quote for each event individually.
What to tell us
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Anything your venue supplies
- Expected numbers
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- Diets and allergies you know about
Send us the date, your venue or SO41 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just fill in our quote form.
- 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