Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Little London, Hampshire
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Little London. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Community events and fairs
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Paella catering near Little London
How our paella catering works in Little London
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We cook vegan paella, seafood paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and we are regularly asked to cater retirement and leaving parties and wedding breakfasts and evening food.
In a hamlet or village like Little London, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
What paella catering costs
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Whether you need crockery
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Your choice of paellas
- Timings and hours
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What to tell us
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The address or venue name
- The date and rough timings
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Who books paella catering in Little London?
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Little London, people book us for events such as:
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Company summer parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Leaving dos and retirements
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Smannell and Enham Church of England (Aided) Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Comparing caterers
- What the price includes, item by item
- VAT, if it applies
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- Travel and parking costs
A closer look at the menu
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
What happens on the day
Here’s how the day generally runs: we arrive, set up and start cooking, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it’s served hot from the pan when you’re ready to eat. Around midsummer it stays light in Little London 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 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Before we arrive
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Name one person we can ask on the day
Ask for a quote
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
DIY paella versus live catering
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.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Planning live paella in Little London
Little London is about 3 miles north-east of Andover, in Hampshire. Give us the address of your event in Little London, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. Little London is one of 683 places in Hampshire we cover. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 23 miles away.
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Christ Church, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Andover station, about 2.9 miles south-west.
For paella catering in SP11, we plan around your venue. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Smannell (1 mile south), Upper Enham (1 mile west), Enham Alamein (1 mile south-west), Finkley (1 mile south-east) and Knights Enham (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include Basingstoke (15 miles east), Winchester (14 miles south-east), Andover (3 miles south-west), Tadley (15 miles north-east), Hyde (14 miles south-east) and Tidworth (9 miles west).
A little further out are Andover War Memorial Hospital (2.7 miles south-west) and Finkley Down Farm Museum (1.7 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Anton Lakes and Mill Lake.
- Nearby, you will find The Oak pub (0.5 miles south)
Nearby places to Little London
More for events in Little London
Your questions about paella catering in Little London
We are having a ceremony at Christ Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Which station should guests use for Little London?
The closest is Andover station, roughly 2.9 miles away.
Do you come to Little London?
We do. Little London is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
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 Little London.
Do you cook inside?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, because we use gas burners. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Planners, venues and businesses
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Before you choose a spot
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Confirm allergies by email
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
- 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