Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Lymington, Hampshire
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Lymington and nearby, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
Planning an event in Lymington?
What affects the price in Lymington
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Waiting and bar staff
- Parking and unloading
- Timings and hours
Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
What to tell us
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- The address or venue name
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Your date and when you want to eat
- A picture of where we’d cook
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, fill in our quote form.
About our paella catering in Lymington
You can keep it simple or build a full menu: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We will recommend what fits your event. On the menu are vegetable paella, black rice and paella Valenciana, and we are often booked for festivals, fairs and school events and leaving dos and retirements.
Gardens in Lymington range from small patios to big lawns, and most can host live paella with a little planning. Have a gazebo ready in case of showers. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Where we can cook in Lymington
Before the day, we’ll agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Lymington
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
Dietary needs and planning tips
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
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 will adjust.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal.
Events we cater in Lymington
It suits relaxed, sociable events, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Lymington:
- Company summer parties
- Garden get-togethers
- Birthday celebrations
- Leaving dos and retirements
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Lymington Town station, about 0.6 miles north-east.
Questions to ask before booking
- The deposit and payment dates
- A clear list of what’s included
- How each diet is kept separate
- Space, access and power needs
How the day works
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. Around midsummer it stays light in Lymington until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:05pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, tell us about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
Getting a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Related guides
Your questions about paella catering in Lymington
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St. Thomas the Apostle?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
What about events near the coast?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
How does live paella catering work?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve when you’re ready to eat.
What do you need at the venue?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is generally popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
If you need them, yes. Proper crockery or quality disposables are available.
Planners, venues and businesses
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Towns and villages near Lymington
Other catering in Lymington
Why choose live paella in Lymington?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What you get with us
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- A clear, itemised quote
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Live cooking, not reheated food
Take a look at Our prices page Or Our guide to catering costs.
Live paella in Lymington: local details
Lymington is in Hampshire. We cook at events in gardens, halls and venues around Lymington and nearby villages. Lymington is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Lymington to Southampton (13 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Lymington Junior School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. The New Forest National Park is within about 5 miles of Lymington, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours. Lymington is within about a mile of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
This part of Hampshire takes in SO41, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Whether your event is on High Street, The Square and Priestlands Place or a nearby road, we can cook there. You will find Lymington on the A337 and B3054, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. If your venue is just outside Lymington, we also cover Pennington (1 mile south-west), Walhampton (1 mile east), Lower Pennington (1 mile south), Warborne (1 mile north) and Boldre (2 miles north). We also cook in nearby towns such as Totton (11 miles north), Hedge End (15 miles north-east), Hythe (10 miles north-east), New Milton (5 miles west), Ringwood (12 miles north-west) and Locks Heath (14 miles north-east).
A little further out are Lymington New Forest Hospital (0.9 miles north) and St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery (within half a mile north-east). Not far away are Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Nature Reserve.
- Local schools include Priestlands School (under half a mile south-west) and Southlands School (1.3 miles north)
- Pubs nearby include Thomas Tripp pub (less than half a mile north)
- 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