Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Portchester, Hampshire
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Portchester. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Paella catering in Portchester
About our paella catering in Portchester
A couple of different pans covers everyone: meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan paellas. Every pan is cooked on its own, so diets are easy to manage. Whether it’s community events and fairs and weddings and evening receptions, we can cook vegan paella, vegetable paella and paella Valenciana and more.
In and around Portchester, gardens and local halls are common choices. If the road in is narrow, tell us so we can plan the van. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Working with your venue
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Step by step
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch while it cooks. Planning an evening event in Portchester? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- On the day, we set up and cook in front of your guests.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Get a quote
To get a price, use our quote form. Tell us about your event in Portchester, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Related guides
Planning live paella in Portchester
Portchester is about 3 miles north-east of Gosport, in Hampshire. Across the PO16 area, we can bring the pans to you. Portchester is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 13 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Portchester station, about 0.5 miles north-west. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Castle Primary School, can book us as a food stall. Portchester is within about 5 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Here we cover the PO16, PO6 and PO17 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Local streets include Cow Lane, Hill Road and Ralph Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. For events just outside Portchester, we cover Boarhunt (2 miles north-west), Southwick (2 miles north), Elson (2 miles south-west), Wallington (2 miles west) and Priddy's Hard (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Gosport (3 miles south-west), Havant (6 miles east), Eastleigh (13 miles north-west), Fareham (3 miles west), Horndean (7 miles north-east) and Chandler's Ford (15 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Portchester Castle (within half a mile south-east) and Queen Alexandra Hospital (2.3 miles east). Not far away are West of the River Alver and Portsdown Hill.
- Schools near Portchester include Portchester Community School (under half a mile west)
- Pubs nearby include The Cormorant pub (less than half a mile south-east)
Places near Portchester
More for events in Portchester
FAQs for Portchester
What’s the nearest station to Portchester for guests?
The closest is Portchester station, roughly 0.5 miles away.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Are premium seafood options available?
Seafood choices are agreed when we plan the menu, including premium options if you want them.
Do you do desserts?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
Do you do vegan paella?
Of course. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans.
How much is live paella catering?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
Do you do starters?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
What space do you need to cook?
Less than you might think: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a picture if you are not sure.
Planning for every diet
We take diets and allergies seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Tell us what else is being served
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Prices and what affects them
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- The paellas you choose
- Travel, parking and access
- The number of people
- How many staff you need
Larger events generally cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
What to tell us
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Where the event is
- The courses you’d like
- The date and rough timings
- A picture of the space, if you can
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and food can sit out for a while. Paella is cooked live and served hot. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why choose Love Paella in Portchester
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Catering across Hampshire, including Portchester
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Take a look at Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
Occasions we cook for in Portchester
It’s ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, with guests mingling as it cooks and then sit down to share.
In Portchester and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Summer garden parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Birthday celebrations
- Leaving dos and retirements
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Mary, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Comparing caterers
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- How long the team stays
- The deadline for final numbers
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- 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