Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Little Holbury, Hampshire
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event across Little Holbury and Hampshire, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Milestone birthday parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
Paella catering in Little Holbury
For planners, venues and organisers
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
About our paella catering in Little Holbury
Paella is generous food: big pans, bright colours and a crispy base everyone wants a spoonful of. It turns a meal into an occasion. For company summer parties and christenings and family gatherings, we will put together a menu of chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and black rice.
Somewhere like Little Holbury, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Catering for every guest
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Count adults and children separately
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can enjoy your guests.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, not seafood. It is frequently the most popular pan at an event.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Prices and what affects them
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Travel, parking and access
- Your choice of paellas
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
What we need to know
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The courses you’d like
- Expected numbers
- Any dietary needs and allergies
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you are ready, fill in our quote form.
Before you choose a spot
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Why choose live paella in Little Holbury?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What you get with us
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Drinks service on request
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- A clear, itemised quote
Take a look at How we price And The cost guide.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Your questions about paella catering in Little Holbury
Do you come out to small places like Little Holbury?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you cater in the New Forest National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
What do you need at the venue?
Less than you might think: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a photo if you’re not sure.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it’s cooked separately.
Are premium seafood options available?
Tell us your preferences and we’ll suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Generally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, because we use gas burners. Some venues have suitable spaces; we will check with you and the venue.
How far ahead should we book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Even if it is short notice, it is worth asking.
Paella catering around Little Holbury
Little Holbury is about 2 miles south of Hythe, in Hampshire. Wherever your event is in the SO45 area, we can cook for your guests. Little Holbury is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 6 miles away.
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like The Good Shepherd, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Historic houses near Little Holbury include Beaulieu Palace House (2.8 miles west) and Medieval Merchant's House (4.6 miles north). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. The New Forest National Park is within about 3 miles of Little Holbury. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours. The coast is within about 4 miles of Little Holbury, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
This part of Hampshire takes in SO45, so your event can be anywhere in it. Whether your event is on Southbourne Avenue, Manor Road and Westbourne Avenue or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. For events just outside Little Holbury, we cover Holbury (1 mile south-east), Hardley (1 mile north), Roughdown (1 mile south), Blackfield (1 mile south-east) and Frostlane (2 miles north). We also cook in nearby towns such as Gosport (10 miles east), Eastleigh (10 miles north), Fareham (8 miles east), Totton (8 miles north-west), Chandler's Ford (11 miles north) and Hedge End (7 miles north-east).
A little further out are Beaulieu Abbey And Display Of Monastic Life (2.9 miles west) and Netley Castle (3.3 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Mercury Marshes.
- Nearby schools include The New Forest Academy (within half a mile north)
How it works
On the day, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. Evenings in Little Holbury stay light until about 9:20pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:10pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- 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 is served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Get a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just use our quote form.
Read more
More for events in Little Holbury
- 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