Oxfordshire · England
Paella Catering for Nettlebed events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Nettlebed: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Company summer parties
Paella catering for Nettlebed events
Common questions in Nettlebed
Is Nettlebed close to London?
Roughly 39 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Do you cater in the Chilterns National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
Can you feed a lot of people?
It’s ideal. Large pans and fast service from the pan make it well suited to crowds.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, on request. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables can be added to your booking.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. Send us a picture if you’re not sure.
How do you work out quantities?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
How our paella catering works in Nettlebed
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. Once it is ready, we serve it hot from the pan. Typical bookings include milestone birthday parties and festivals, fairs and school events, with paella Valenciana, mixed paella and black rice.
In a hamlet or village like Nettlebed, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan.
- Location
- Nettlebed (RG9)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
The process
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell typically draws people over. Evenings in Nettlebed stay light until about 9:25pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:10pm; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Preparing for the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
Get a quote
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Nettlebed? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Prices and what affects them
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, because of:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- How many guests are eating
- Waiting and bar staff
- Whether you need crockery
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before you book.
What to tell us
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- The address or venue name
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Which courses you have in mind
- What the venue already provides
Send us the date, your venue or RG9 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Why choose live paella in Nettlebed?
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked live and served hot. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why Nettlebed hosts choose us
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Fast service from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Sangria and bar staff available
Read How we price And The cost guide.
Also near Nettlebed
What else we do in Nettlebed
Paella catering around Nettlebed
Nettlebed is about 7 miles north of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. We bring paella catering to homes, gardens and venues in Nettlebed and nearby villages. Nettlebed is one of 443 towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover. Our nearest city page is Reading, about 9 miles away.
Historic houses near Nettlebed include Greys Court (2.7 miles south-east) and Stonor Park (3 miles north-east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Nettlebed Community School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Nettlebed is within about 5 miles of the Chilterns National Landscape, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Paella catering in RG9 is planned around your venue and your guests. Streets in the area include The Ridgeway, Wanbourne Lane and Watlington Street, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Other places close to Nettlebed for paella catering include Catslip (1 mile south-east), Highmoor (2 miles south), Highmoor Cross (2 miles south), Bix (2 miles south-east) and Shepherd's Green (3 miles south). Larger places within reach include Didcot (11 miles west), Abingdon-on-Thames (14 miles north-west), Thame (12 miles north), Henley-on-Thames (5 miles south-east), Benson (6 miles north-west) and Chinnor (9 miles north).
Green spaces nearby include Warburg Nature Reserve.
- Pubs nearby include The Sun Inn Public House (under half a mile south-east)
For event organisers in Nettlebed
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Organising a club, school or community event in Nettlebed? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It is the pan people photograph.
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It is a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Before you choose a spot
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Level ground for the pans and burners
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Nettlebed
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
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.
Planning for every diet
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Have seats for most of your guests
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If timings shift, we adapt.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
- 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