Oxfordshire · England
Paella Catering for Mapledurham events
We cook live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Mapledurham and nearby, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Retirement celebrations
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Milestone birthday parties
Book paella catering in Mapledurham
Dietary needs and planning tips
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Mention any other courses or food
- Count adults and children separately
- Put allergy details in writing
- Make sure each pan is labelled
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Sangria and bar staff can be added to serve drinks you provide.
Paella catering in Mapledurham, made fresh on the day
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields in and around Mapledurham. Whether it’s retirement and leaving parties and weddings, from canapés to evening food, we will put together a menu of vegetable paella, black rice and paella Valenciana for your guests.
In a hamlet or village like Mapledurham, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, never made in advance and reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
- Area
- Mapledurham (RG8, RG4, RG31)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Why choose live paella in Mapledurham?
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and typically costs more per head. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and it’s entertaining too. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why choose Love Paella in Mapledurham
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Sangria and bar staff available
- A clear, itemised quote
See Our prices page And The cost guide.
Mapledurham: venues, travel and local tips
Mapledurham is about 3 miles west of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. Across the RG8 area, we can cook for your guests. We cover all 443 towns and villages in Oxfordshire.
Historic houses near Mapledurham include Mapledurham House (within half a mile east) and Basildon Park (3.7 miles west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Margaret and Bardolf Aisle, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Here we cover the RG8, RG4 and RG31 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Local streets include St Mary's Avenue, Park Walk and The Short; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Other places close to Mapledurham for paella catering include Purley on Thames (1 mile south-west), Trench Green (1 mile north-east), Tilehurst (2 miles south), Chazey Heath (2 miles east) and Norcot (2 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Didcot (12 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (7 miles north-east), Benson (10 miles north), Wallingford (9 miles north-west), Great Western Park (13 miles north-west) and Watlington (11 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include Royal Berkshire Regiment Museum (2.4 miles south-east) and Battle Hospital (2.5 miles south-east). Open spaces near Mapledurham include South Lake and Moor Copse Nature Reserve.
- Local schools include Denefield School (1.2 miles south-west)
- Local pubs include Roebuck pub (0.8 miles south)
What happens on the day
Watching it cook is half the fun. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. In Mapledurham, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
Get a quote
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
Working with your venue
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
What’s in the pans
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is generally served with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Mixed paella
Paella mixta combines meat and seafood in one pan.
Also near Mapledurham
What else we do in Mapledurham
Before you choose a spot
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
Your questions about paella catering in Mapledurham
Is Mapledurham too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Which station should guests use for Mapledurham?
Tilehurst station, about 1 mile south of the centre.
Who clears up?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, while the rice is cooking.
Do you bring everything you need?
All cooking kit comes with us. Tell us what the venue provides, such as tables or crockery.
Do you do vegan paella?
Of course. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans.
What space do you need to cook?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will talk it through before the day.
How we price paella catering
The price comes down to a few factors:
- How long we are needed on site
- Distance and access to the venue
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Getting an accurate quote
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- The date and rough timings
- The venue or postcode
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we will make suggestions. Start when you are ready: send us your details through our quote form.
- 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