Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Matchams, Hampshire
Looking for paella catering in Matchams? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Naming days and family parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Planning an event in Matchams?
Before you choose a spot
Every venue is different, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
What we offer
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
Paella catering in Matchams, cooked live
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. For wedding breakfasts and evening food and anniversaries and engagement parties, we can cook black rice, seafood paella and vegetable paella and more.
Somewhere as small as Matchams, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we will plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Timings are planned around your event, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Events we cater in Matchams
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food is hot and generous.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Avon Heath Country Park? Public parks usually need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first.
Before you book anyone
- What the price includes, item by item
- VAT, if it applies
- Space, access and power needs
- The deposit and payment dates
Catering for every guest
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Tell us what else is being served
- Count adults and children separately
- Make sure each pan is labelled
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.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue does not provide them.
Paella catering around Matchams
Matchams is in Hampshire. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Matchams and nearby villages. Matchams is one of 683 places in Hampshire we cover. Our events stretch from Matchams to Southampton (20 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Avon Tyrrell House (3.6 miles east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The New Forest National Park is within about 6 miles of Matchams, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Wherever your event is in BH24, we can cook for your guests. Whether your event is on Maple Walk, Ash Tree Close and Sycamore Way or a nearby road, we can cook there. Other places close to Matchams for paella catering include Avon Castle (1 mile north-east), St Ives (1 mile north), St Leonards (1 mile north-west) and Ashley Heath (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Totton (15 miles north-east), Lymington (12 miles east), New Milton (8 miles south-east), Ringwood (3 miles north-east), Barton on Sea (8 miles south-east) and Ashley (9 miles south-east).
Nearby you will also find St Leonard's Hospital (1.7 miles west). The countryside around Matchams includes St Catherine's Hill and Blashford Lakes.
Common questions in Matchams
Can you cook in Avon Heath Country Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Do you come out to small places like Matchams?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Is the paella cooked on site?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
It’s ideal. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, including Hampshire. Find your area.
Do you come to Matchams?
Yes. We cater across London and the South East, including Matchams and the rest of Hampshire. To check your date, use our quote form.
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. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Prices and what affects them
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Your choice of paellas
- The number of people
- How many staff you need
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Details that help
These details help us quote quickly:
- The date and rough timings
- Which courses you have in mind
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Roughly how many adults and children
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, use our quote form.
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a paella that stands on its own. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Step by step
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. Planning an evening event in Matchams? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Before we arrive
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
Getting a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Related guides
Places near Matchams
More for events in Matchams
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Planners, venues and businesses
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Throwing a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
- 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