Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Lower Farringdon, Hampshire
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Lower Farringdon and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Community events and fairs
Planning an event in Lower Farringdon?
Paella catering for your event in Lower Farringdon
Keep it simple, or go all out: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We will recommend what fits your event. For big birthdays and anniversary celebrations, we will put together a menu of vegan paella, vegetable paella and black rice.
In a rural place like Lower Farringdon, the setting does plenty of the work: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. We serve straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
Live paella or other catering?
With a barbecue, food comes in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Why Lower Farringdon hosts choose us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- No hidden extras in your quote
See Our pricing And The cost guide.
Why choose paella catering in Lower Farringdon?
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.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Lower Farringdon and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Community events and fairs
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Birthday celebrations
Nearby historic houses include Bentworth Hall (3.5 miles north-west) and Hall Place (4 miles north-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Before booking anyone
- Payment terms and deposit
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Space, access and power needs
Planners, venues and businesses
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
What happens on the day
Service is quick: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. Planning an evening event in Lower Farringdon? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- 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
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Get a quote
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Read more
Prices and what affects them
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- How many guests are eating
- Timings and hours
- Parking and unloading
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What to tell us
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Which courses you have in mind
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The date and rough timings
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Planning the cooking area
Before the day, we’ll agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Level ground for the pans and burners
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
Popular choices
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
Questions from Lower Farringdon
Do you cater in the South Downs National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Is Lower Farringdon too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
How much does paella catering cost in Lower Farringdon?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas for a clear quote.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
How soon do we need to book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Ask about your date even if it is soon.
What happens with live paella?
We bring everything needed to cook on site, cook in front of your guests, and serve when you’re ready to eat.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
What seafood can we have?
We’ll suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
Catering an event in Lower Farringdon
Lower Farringdon is about 3 miles south of Alton, in Hampshire. For an event in Lower Farringdon, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. Lower Farringdon is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. Our events stretch from Lower Farringdon to Guildford (about 20 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Alton station is about 3 miles away. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of All Saints, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. The South Downs National Park is within about 8 miles of Lower Farringdon, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Anywhere in GU34, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Streets in the area include Gosport Road, Brightstone Lane and Shirnall Meadow, and we can cook for an event on any of them. We also cook at events in Farringdon (1 mile east), Upper Farringdon (1 mile east), Chawton (2 miles north), Hartley Mauditt (2 miles east) and Alton (3 miles north). Larger places within reach include Basingstoke (12 miles north-west), Winchester (14 miles west), Fleet (13 miles north-east), Horndean (14 miles south), Aldershot (14 miles north-east) and Petersfield (8 miles south).
A little further out are Alton Community Hospital (2 miles north) and The Romany Museum (2.6 miles south-east). Open spaces near Lower Farringdon include Red Hill.
- Local pubs include Royal Oak pub (within half a mile west)
What’s in the pans
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Mixed paella
Chicken and seafood together.
Towns and villages near Lower Farringdon
Other catering in Lower Farringdon
- 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