Portsmouth · England
Live paella catering in Kingston, Portsmouth
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Kingston and the surrounding area.
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Planning an event in Kingston?
Where we can cook in Kingston
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
On the menu in Kingston
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
How our paella catering works in Kingston
There is something generous about paella: huge pans, saffron colour and a toasted crust that everyone fights over. It makes the food an event in itself. For wedding breakfasts and evening food and family celebrations and christenings, we can cook mixed paella, chicken and chorizo paella and vegetable paella and more.
In a smaller place like Kingston, a garden party is frequently the simplest option: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Tell us about access down the lane or drive. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan.
- Area
- Kingston (PO1, PO3, PO4)
- County
- Portsmouth
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
DIY paella versus live catering
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Catering an event in Kingston
Kingston is about 1 mile south-east of Portsmouth, in Portsmouth. For an event in Kingston, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Kingston. Kingston is one of 19 towns and villages in Portsmouth we cover. Our events stretch from Kingston to Southampton (16 miles away).
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Alexandra Park? Public parks normally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Miltoncross Academy, can book us as a food stall. Kingston is within about 2 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
For paella catering in PO1, PO3 and PO4, we plan around your venue. We can cater an event on streets such as Renny Road, Clive Road and Union Road or the roads around them. Being close to the A288, Kingston is easy for us to reach. If your venue is just outside Kingston, we also cover Fratton (1 mile south-west), Baffins (1 mile north-east), Copnor (1 mile north), Portsmouth (1 mile north-west) and Landport (1 mile west). Larger places within reach include Wymering (3 miles north), Paulsgrove (3 miles north), Cosham (3 miles north), Drayton (3 miles north) and Farlington (3 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include St Mary's Hospital (under half a mile south-east) and The Bridge Shopping Centre (0.6 miles south-west). Not far away are Milton Locks and Portsdown Hill.
- Local schools include Langstone Infant School (less than half a mile north-east) and St Edmund's Catholic School (0.9 miles west)
- Nearby, you’ll find Graham Arms (less than half a mile north-west)
- Local facilities include Southsea (1.8 miles south-west)
Kingston questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Cuthbert?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook near the sea around Kingston?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
When should we book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Even if it’s short notice, it’s worth asking.
Do you cook inside?
Usually we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, since the burners are gas. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Of course. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Can you supply plates?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
Also in Kingston
A closer look at the menu
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
For event organisers in Kingston
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Step by step
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. Planning an evening event in Kingston? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
How to prepare
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Plan cover in case of rain
Getting a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
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.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal, or serve your own cake.
How we price paella catering
Every event is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Timings and hours
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Your choice of paellas
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
What we need to know
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- What the venue already provides
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Which courses you have in mind
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Why choose paella catering in Kingston?
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Cuthbert, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Before you book anyone
- The deadline for final numbers
- When payment is due
- The venue requirements
- Travel and parking costs
- 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