Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Portmore events
Paella for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Portmore.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Anniversary celebrations
Paella catering in Portmore
Why choose paella catering in Portmore?
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Community events and fairs
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Southlands School, can book us as a food stall.
What your quote should include
- If the price includes VAT
- Whether travel is included
- How long the team stays
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
Paella catering in Portmore, made fresh on the day
You can keep it simple or build a full menu: paella on its own, or with canapés, table tapas, desserts and sangria. We will recommend what fits your event. We’re frequently asked to cater company summer parties and anniversaries and engagement parties, with paella Valenciana, seafood paella and black rice.
Somewhere as small as Portmore, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. You will know exactly what’s included before you book: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
Nearby places to Portmore
More for events in Portmore
Working with your venue
Organising a club, school or community event in Portmore? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
What happens on the day
The cooking is part of the entertainment. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook. Around midsummer it stays light in Portmore until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening events are typically served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- First, tell us 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.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Preparing for the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Ask for a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Read more
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
Dietary needs and planning tips
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Mention any other courses or food
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
Space, weather and the venue
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
Popular choices
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
What affects the price in Portmore
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- Whether you need crockery
- How long we are needed on site
- Parking and unloading
- Guest numbers
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Details that help
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Which courses you have in mind
- A picture of the space, if you can
- Anything your venue supplies
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can use our quote form.
Common questions in Portmore
Can you cater a reception after a service at Saint Nicholas Chapel?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Can you cook at venues in the New Forest National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
Do you cater in Portmore?
Yes. We cater across London and the South East, and Portmore is within our area. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Can you supply plates?
If you need them, yes. Proper crockery or quality disposables can be added to your booking.
What about pudding?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we will reply with a price.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Portmore: venues, travel and local tips
Portmore is about 2 miles north-east of Lymington, in Hampshire. From the centre of Portmore to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cater in all 683 towns and villages in Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 11 miles away.
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Saint Nicholas Chapel, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Historic houses near Portmore include Beaulieu Palace House (4.5 miles north-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. Portmore 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 2 miles of Portmore, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Here we cover the SO41 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Whether your event is on Warborne Lane, Jordans Lane and Main Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. We also cook at events in Warborne (1 mile west), Pilley (1 mile north-west), Bull Hill (1 mile north), Pilley Bailey (1 mile north) and Walhampton (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastleigh (15 miles north-east), Fareham (15 miles east), Totton (10 miles north), Hedge End (14 miles north-east), Romsey (15 miles north) and Hythe (8 miles north-east).
A little further out are Lymington New Forest Hospital (1 mile south-west) and Yarmouth Castle (4.8 miles south). Not far away are Boldre Foreshore.
- Nearby schools include William Gilpin Church of England Primary School (0.8 miles north-west) and Priestlands School (2 miles south-west)
- Local pubs include Walhampton Arms (0.6 miles south-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