Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Kitwood, Hampshire
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Kitwood.
- Community events and fairs
- Retirement celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
Planning an event in Kitwood?
About our paella catering in Kitwood
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That’s exactly what we bring to your event in Kitwood. For milestone birthday parties and office lunches and staff parties, we will put together a menu of paella Valenciana, seafood paella and vegan paella and more.
Somewhere as small as Kitwood, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Diets, allergies and planning
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Sangria and bar staff can be added to serve drinks you provide.
About the dishes
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Working with your venue
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Why choose live paella in Kitwood?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why us?
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- A clear, itemised quote
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Take a look at Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
What paella catering costs
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Timings and hours
- Waiting and bar staff
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Travel, parking and access
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
What we need to know
To check availability and price, we need:
- What the venue already provides
- The date and rough timings
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Expected numbers
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
How the day works
The cooking is part of the entertainment. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. Planning an evening event in Kitwood? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
How to prepare
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Tell us where to park and unload
Getting a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Kitwood questions
Do you cater in the South Downs National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
We’re having a ceremony at Church of the Good Shepherd: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices, or you can serve your own cake.
What does paella catering cost?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
How long does the paella take?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance so the paella is ready when you want it.
Are premium seafood options available?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu, including premium options if you want them.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
Towns and villages near Kitwood
Also in Kitwood
Occasions we cook for in Kitwood
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We often cook for:
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Summer garden parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Retirement celebrations
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of the Good Shepherd, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Comparing caterers
- Whether VAT is included
- Space, access and power needs
- Who provides the crockery
- The wet-weather plan
Paella catering around Kitwood
Kitwood is about 5 miles south-west of Alton, in Hampshire. Across the SO24 area, we can bring the pans to you. We cook in 683 places across Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 19 miles away.
Historic houses near Kitwood include Bentworth Hall (3.8 miles north) and Hall Place (4.3 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Four Marks Church of England Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Kitwood is within about 8 miles of the South Downs National Park, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cook at events all over SO24 and the streets around it. Other places close to Kitwood for paella catering include Gilbert Street (1 mile south-west), Charlwood (1 mile south-east), North Street (1 mile west), Monkwood (2 miles south) and Ropley (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Basingstoke (12 miles north), Winchester (12 miles west), Fleet (15 miles north-east), Horndean (13 miles south), Alton (5 miles north-east) and Waterlooville (14 miles south).
Other landmarks nearby include Alton Community Hospital (4.1 miles north-east) and Barton Castle (4.3 miles north-west). The countryside around Kitwood includes Shutts Copse and Red Hill.
- 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