Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Ossemsley, Hampshire
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Ossemsley: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Paella catering for Ossemsley events
About the dishes
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Paella catering for your event in Ossemsley
A single cooking set-up can feed a crowd, very little goes to waste, and the food is served hot. That is why it works for so many events. Whether it is office lunches and staff parties and big birthdays, we can cook chicken and chorizo paella, paella Valenciana and vegan paella.
Somewhere as small as Ossemsley, a garden or field is often 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. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
More for events in Ossemsley
Live paella in Ossemsley: local details
Ossemsley is about 2 miles north of New Milton, in Hampshire. Tell us where your event in Ossemsley will be, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. We cater in all 683 towns and villages in Hampshire. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 15 miles away.
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Ballard School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is New Milton station, about 1.7 miles south. Ossemsley is within about 4 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. The coast is within about 6 miles of Ossemsley, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Anywhere in BH25, we can cook for your guests. Local streets include Green Lane and Ossemsley South Drive; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Bashley (1 mile south-east), Wootton (1 mile north), Tiptoe (2 miles east), Mead End (2 miles east) and Ashley (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cater in Totton (12 miles north-east), Lymington (5 miles east), Hythe (13 miles north-east), Ringwood (7 miles north-west), Barton on Sea (3 miles south) and Dibden Purlieu (12 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Highcliffe Castle (3.5 miles south-west) and Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum (1 mile south). The countryside around Ossemsley includes Milford on Sea LNR.
- Local schools include The Arnewood School (2 miles south)
- Local pubs include The Rising Sun pub (0.7 miles north-east)
Working with your venue
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly.
What we offer
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Step by step
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Around midsummer it stays light in Ossemsley until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:05pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
How to get a price
Planning paella catering in Ossemsley? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just use our quote form.
Related guides
Is live paella right for your event?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why book with us
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Take a look at How we price And What paella catering costs.
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
Perfect for your event in Ossemsley
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St John, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
What to look for in a quote
- What the price includes, item by item
- The venue requirements
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Travel and parking costs
What paella catering costs
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- The length of service
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
What we need to know
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Ossemsley: your questions answered
Can you cook near the sea around Ossemsley?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Is Ossemsley too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you feed plenty of people?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
Where do you cater?
We cater across London and the South East, Hampshire included. Find your area.
How much paella per person?
Quantities depend on numbers, timing and courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
What do you need at the venue?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
- 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