Oxfordshire · England
Paella Catering in Lower Shiplake
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Lower Shiplake.
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Weddings and evening receptions
Paella catering near Lower Shiplake
Paella catering for your event in Lower Shiplake
One cooking area feeds a lot of people, very little goes to waste, and the food is served hot. That is why it works for so many events. Typical bookings include office lunches and staff parties and family celebrations and christenings, serving seafood paella, black rice and mixed paella.
For a rural spot like Lower Shiplake, the countryside is part of the appeal: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Tell us about access and the ground. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Location
- Lower Shiplake (RG9)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Lower Shiplake: your questions answered
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Is Lower Shiplake close to London?
About 34 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
How does live paella catering work?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Do you do starters?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
What happens if it rains?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We’ll make a plan B with you.
Where do you cater?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Lower Shiplake.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
Can we choose the seafood?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu.
Perfect for your event in Lower Shiplake
It needs no kitchen, so it is at home in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Milestone birthday parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Engagement and anniversary parties
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Before booking anyone
- What happens if it rains
- If the price includes VAT
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- When final numbers are due
For planners, venues and organisers
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Organising a club, school or community event in Lower Shiplake? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It is typically the most photographed pan.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
Live paella in Lower Shiplake: local details
Lower Shiplake is about 4 miles north of Woodley, in Oxfordshire. Give us the address of your event in Lower Shiplake, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up before the day. Lower Shiplake is one of 443 places in Oxfordshire where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Lower Shiplake to Reading (about 6 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Shiplake station is in Lower Shiplake itself. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Shiplake Church of England School, can book us as a food stall.
We cover events in every part of RG9 and the streets around it. Whether your event is on Station Road, Oaks Road and Quarry Lane or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. With the A4155 close by, Lower Shiplake is simple for us to get to with everything for your event. For events just outside Lower Shiplake, we cover Wargrave (1 mile south-east), Cockpole Green (2 miles north-east), Remenham Hill (2 miles north), Bowsey Hill (2 miles east) and Remenham (3 miles north). Larger places within reach include Benson (12 miles north-west), Chinnor (13 miles north), Tilehurst (7 miles south-west), Wallingford (12 miles north-west), Little Heath (8 miles south-west) and Oakley (13 miles north).
Nearby you’ll also find Frazer Nash Archives (1.3 miles north) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (5.2 miles south-west). The countryside around Lower Shiplake includes South Lake and Sonning Hill.
- Local schools include Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School (1.6 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Baskerville pub (within half a mile east)
What paella catering costs
These are the factors that matter most:
- The number of people
- How many staff you need
- Your choice of paellas
- Parking and unloading
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
What to tell us
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- The date and rough timings
- Anything your venue supplies
- The venue or postcode
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Diets, allergies and planning
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Mention any other courses or food
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If plans change, tell us and we’ll adjust.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
How the day works
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first while the paella cooks. Evenings in Lower Shiplake stay light until about 9:25pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Get a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
Related guides
Places near Lower Shiplake
What else we do in Lower Shiplake
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Live paella or other catering?
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and generally costs more per head. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. There’s 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.
Why choose Love Paella in Lower Shiplake
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Drinks service on request
- Events in Lower Shiplake and across Oxfordshire
Read Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
- 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