Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Lee, Hampshire
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Lee and the surrounding area.
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
Book paella catering in Lee
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Paella catering for your event in Lee
There’s something generous about paella: giant pans, saffron colour and a toasted crust that everyone fights over. It makes the food an event in itself. We are often asked to cater wedding breakfasts and evening food and community events and fairs, with vegan paella, seafood paella and mixed paella.
For a rural spot like Lee, the countryside is part of the appeal: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
What paella catering costs
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- The paellas you choose
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Guest numbers
- How many staff you need
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- The address or venue name
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Anything your venue supplies
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
What else we do in Lee
Before you choose a spot
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
What we offer
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Why choose live paella in Lee?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why us?
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- No hidden extras in your quote
Live paella in Lee: local details
Lee is about 2 miles south of Romsey, in Hampshire. For an event in Lee, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. We cover 683 places in Hampshire.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Romsey station, about 2.4 miles north. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Oasis Academy Lord's Hill, can book us as a food stall. The New Forest National Park is within about 8 miles of Lee. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking. The coast is within about 6 miles of Lee, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Wherever your event is in SO51, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. From Lee Lane and Lee Church Lane or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Ashfield (1 mile east), Toothill (1 mile east), Upton (1 mile south-east), Nursling (1 mile south-east) and Rownhams (2 miles south-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Winchester (10 miles north-east), Eastleigh (6 miles east), Fareham (15 miles south-east), Totton (3 miles south), Chandler's Ford (5 miles north-east) and Hedge End (9 miles east).
A little further out are Romsey Community Hospital (2.3 miles north) and King Johns House (2.3 miles north). Open spaces near Lee include Testwood Lakes.
- Other local spots include Romsey Extra (1.5 miles north-west)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. 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 enjoy the party, let us cook.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Common questions in Lee
Can you cook near the sea around Lee?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Is Lee too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices, or you can serve your own cake.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we can plan it carefully.
Is halal food available?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
What happens with live paella?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook in front of your guests, and serve at the time you want.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Do you cater in Lee?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and Lee is within our area and the rest of Hampshire. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Planners, venues and businesses
If you are organising for someone else, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
How the day works
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell normally draws people over. Planning an evening event in Lee? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Before we arrive
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Give us a contact for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Ask for a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Lee, and we will put together a menu and price.
Related guides
Occasions we cook for in Lee
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks and then sit down to share.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Garden get-togethers
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Community events and fairs
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Boniface, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Questions to ask before you book
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Staff numbers and hours
- How late numbers can change
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- 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