Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Old Netley events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Old Netley: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Anniversary celebrations
- Big birthdays
Paella catering in Old Netley
Paella catering for your event in Old Netley
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That’s exactly what we bring to your event in Old Netley. Typical bookings include engagement and anniversary parties and garden get-togethers, serving seafood paella, vegan paella and paella Valenciana.
Somewhere like Old Netley, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Old Netley: venues, travel and local tips
Old Netley is about 2 miles south-west of Hedge End, in Hampshire. We bring paella catering to homes, gardens and venues in Old Netley and nearby villages. We cater in 683 places in Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages.
Historic houses near Old Netley include Medieval Merchant's House (3.5 miles west) and Southampton Tudor House and Garden (3.6 miles west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. Parks such as Westwood Woodland Park typically need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Old Netley is within about 8 miles of the New Forest National Park, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking. Old Netley is within about 3 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Wherever your event is in SO31, we can bring paella catering to you. Streets in the area include Darlee Gate, Green Lane and Cranbury Gardens, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Lowford (1 mile north-east), Bursledon (1 mile east), Butlocks Heath (1 mile south-west), Hound (1 mile south-west) and Netley (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cater in Winchester (12 miles north), Gosport (10 miles south-east), Havant (15 miles east), Eastleigh (5 miles north), Fareham (6 miles south-east) and Horndean (14 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Coldeast (2.3 miles south-east) and Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum (1.6 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Netley Common.
- Nearby schools include Oasis Academy Mayfield (0.9 miles west) and Grove Park Business and Enterprise College (1 mile west)
- Pubs nearby include The Linden Tree pub (within half a mile east)
What happens on the day
We take care of the food from set-up to service, so you can enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. In Old Netley, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Before we arrive
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Get a quote
To get a price, use our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Related guides
What affects the price in Old Netley
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- How many guests are eating
- Travel, parking and access
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
What to tell us
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- The venue or postcode
- Which courses you have in mind
- The date and rough timings
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Planning for every diet
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Request clear labels at the serving table
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a paella that stands on its own. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It’s a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
Your questions about paella catering in Old Netley
We are having a ceremony at St Paul’s Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Could we have live paella in Westwood Woodland Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
How long do you need on site?
We get there in good time to set up. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
What do you need at the venue?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Is paella a full meal?
It can be. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Do you cater for young children?
Of course. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
Can you feed plenty of people?
Very much so. We size pans and serving points to your guest list.
Also in Old Netley
Working with your venue
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
What you get with us
- We cover Old Netley and the whole of Hampshire
- A clear, itemised quote
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Take a look at Our pricing Or What paella catering costs.
Planning the cooking area
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we offer
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- 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