Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Peel Common
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Peel Common: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests.
- Garden get-togethers
- Big birthdays
- Office lunches and staff parties
Paella catering in Peel Common
Diets, allergies and planning
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Mention any other courses or food
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Put allergy details in writing
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside.
How our paella catering works in Peel Common
Watching it cook is part of the experience. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the aroma does the rest. On the menu are black rice, chicken and chorizo paella and vegan paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater leaving dos and retirements and christenings and family gatherings.
Somewhere as small as Peel Common, a garden or field is often the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it’s hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
Also near Peel Common
Other catering in Peel Common
Planning the cooking area
Every venue is different, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
Questions from Peel Common
Is Peel Common close to London?
Roughly 67 miles from the centre of London.
Do you come out to small places like Peel Common?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, since the burners are gas. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Can you cook in the rain?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes. Children often love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
How does live paella catering work?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Do you cover Peel Common?
We do. We cook at events in Peel Common and across Hampshire. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Of course. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, while the rice is cooking.
The process
We get there well before serving, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Your guests are welcome to watch as the paella takes shape. In Peel Common, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Getting a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
Related guides
DIY paella versus live catering
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Why choose paella catering in Peel Common?
Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
In Peel Common and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Company summer parties
- Summer garden parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Christenings and family gatherings
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Peel Common Junior School, can book us as a food stall.
Questions to ask before you book
- Payment terms and deposit
- Whether travel is included
- The venue requirements
- How each diet is kept separate
How we price paella catering
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Travel, parking and access
- Waiting and bar staff
- The number of people
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 booking.
Getting an accurate quote
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A photo of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- The address or venue name
- The date and time of the event
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Live paella or other catering?
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, because each paella has its own pan. It is served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why Peel Common hosts choose us
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Drinks service on request
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
See Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
Planners, venues and businesses
Hosting a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Peel Common: venues, travel and local tips
Peel Common is about 2 miles south of Fareham, in Hampshire. Give us the address of your event in Peel Common, and we’ll plan access and set-up. We cook in 683 places in Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 11 miles away.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Peel Common Mission Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. For guests coming by train, Fareham station is about 2 miles away. Peel Common is within about 6 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Wherever your event is in PO14, we can bring paella catering to you. Local streets include Woodcote Lane and Newgate Lane; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. For events just outside Peel Common, we cover Crofton (1 mile west), Rowner (1 mile east), Bridgemary (1 mile east), Lee-on-the-Solent (1 mile south) and Elson (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Havant (9 miles east), Eastleigh (12 miles north-west), Horndean (10 miles north-east), Totton (15 miles north-west), Chandler's Ford (14 miles north-west) and Hedge End (8 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Fareham Shopping Centre (2.1 miles north) and Gosport War Memorial Hospital (2.8 miles south-east). The countryside around Peel Common includes West of the River Alver and Portsdown Hill.
- Local schools include Bridgemary School (0.6 miles east) and Baycroft School (0.7 miles west)
- 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