Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Passfield
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Passfield.
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Planning an event in Passfield?
Paella catering in Passfield, cooked live
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. Popular choices include vegan paella, mixed paella and black rice, and we are frequently booked for company summer parties and engagement and anniversary parties.
For a rural spot like Passfield, the countryside is part of the appeal: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
Passfield questions
Is Passfield close to London?
About 42 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Do you come out to small places like Passfield?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Which paella is most popular?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is generally the most popular, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
How much is live paella catering?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we’ll send a quote.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.
What happens with live paella?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
What if the weather’s bad?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Before you choose a spot
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Level ground for the pans and burners
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
On the menu in Passfield
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
DIY paella versus live catering
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Prices and what affects them
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Timings and hours
- How many guests are eating
- Waiting and bar staff
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Getting an accurate quote
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Which courses you have in mind
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, use our quote form.
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s usually the most photographed pan.
Perfect for your event in Passfield
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Passfield book us for occasions like:
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Garden get-togethers
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Retirement and leaving parties
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Mill Chase Academy, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Before booking anyone
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Whether travel is included
- Allergen information for each dish
- The venue requirements
What else we do in Passfield
How it works
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. In Passfield, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 4:00pm, 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.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Getting a price
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Working with your venue
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Catering for every guest
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Try these:
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
- Ask for labels on each pan
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Paella catering around Passfield
Passfield is about 7 miles south-east of Alton, in Hampshire. Give us the address of your event in Passfield, and we’ll plan access and set-up before the day. Passfield is one of 683 places in Hampshire we cover. Our nearest city page is Guildford, about 15 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Liphook station is about 2.3 miles away. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Passfield, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
For paella catering in GU30, we plan around your venue. From The Lyndons, Eleanor Close and Lynchborough Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Conford (1 mile south-east), Weavers Down (1 mile south), Liphook (2 miles south-east), Woolmer (2 miles south-west) and Longmoor (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Farnborough (14 miles north), Fleet (12 miles north), Horndean (15 miles south-west), Aldershot (11 miles north), Alton (7 miles north-west) and Petersfield (8 miles south-west).
Nearby you’ll also find Chase Community Hospital (1.5 miles north-west). Open spaces near Passfield include Deadwater Valley and Wheeler's Down.
- 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