Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Ramsdean events
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Ramsdean and the surrounding area.
- Naming days and family parties
- Summer garden parties
- Staff parties and work lunches
Paella catering for Ramsdean events
Is live paella right for your event?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked live and served hot. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why Ramsdean hosts choose us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Catering across Hampshire, including Ramsdean
Take a look at Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
About our paella catering in Ramsdean
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That’s what we bring to events in Ramsdean. We are often asked to cater family celebrations and christenings and leaving dos and retirements, serving mixed paella, seafood paella and vegan paella.
In a hamlet or village like Ramsdean, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
Step by step
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Planning an evening event in Ramsdean? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; once it’s dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- 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
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
Get a quote
It is easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will come back with a clear quote.
Related guides
What affects the price in Ramsdean
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Whether you need crockery
- How long we are needed on site
- Parking and unloading
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What to tell us
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Anything your venue supplies
- The venue or postcode
- A picture of the space, if you can
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. To start, fill in our quote form.
Ramsdean: venues, travel and local tips
Ramsdean is about 2 miles west of Petersfield, in Hampshire. From the centre of Ramsdean to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Ramsdean is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 18 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Petersfield station is about 2.3 miles away. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St John the Evangelist, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. The South Downs National Park is within about 3 miles of Ramsdean, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Wherever your event is in GU32, we can cook for your guests. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Weston (1 mile east), Buriton (2 miles south-east), Nursted (3 miles east), Chalton (4 miles south) and Blendworth (5 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Winchester (15 miles west), Gosport (15 miles south-west), Havant (9 miles south), Fareham (13 miles south-west), Horndean (6 miles south) and Alton (11 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Clanfield Earthwork (3.3 miles south) and Bear Museum (2.5 miles east). Open spaces near Ramsdean include Pidham Hill.
- Schools near Ramsdean include The Petersfield School (2.2 miles east)
Before you choose a spot
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Somewhere close to park and unload
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
Menu ideas
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
Catering for every guest
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Tell us what else is being served
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Tell us how many children are coming
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter while the paella cooks.
Ramsdean questions
Do you come out to small places like Ramsdean?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you cater in the South Downs National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll follow the site rules.
Is halal food available?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and it is cooked separately.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
Do you bring everything you need?
Pans, burners and ingredients all come with us. You provide a suitable spot and access.
What happens if it rains?
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.
Which paella is most popular?
It depends on your guests. A chicken or mixed paella is generally the most popular, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Occasions we cook for in Ramsdean
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.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Company summer parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Birthday celebrations
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Langrish Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- How each diet is kept separate
- Space, access and power needs
- If the price includes VAT
Nearby places to Ramsdean
What else we do in Ramsdean
DIY paella versus live catering
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Planners, venues and businesses
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
- 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