Oxfordshire · England
Paella Catering for Ratley events
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Ratley. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Milestone birthday parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Community events and fairs
Book paella catering in Ratley
Paella catering in Ratley, cooked live
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields in and around Ratley. For staff parties and work lunches and leaving dos and retirements, we can cook seafood paella, mixed paella and paella Valenciana for your guests.
In a rural place like Ratley, the setting does a lot of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Let us know about access and ground conditions. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
- Location
- Ratley (OX15)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
FAQs for Ratley
Do you come out to small places like Ratley?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Peter Ad Vincula: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Can you cater for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers and ages, and we will plan for them.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will make a plan B with you.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Ratley: venues, travel and local tips
Ratley is about 6 miles north-west of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. Tell us where your event in Ratley will be, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. Ratley is one of 443 places in Oxfordshire we cover. Our events stretch from Ratley to Oxford (about 27 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Upton House (1.3 miles south-west) and Farnborough Hall (3.1 miles east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one.
Anywhere in OX15, we can cook for your guests. Your event could be at a home on High Street, Townhill and Chapel Lane or the roads around them. For events just outside Ratley, we cover Edgehill (1 mile west), Sun Rising (2 miles south-west) and Hornton (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Banbury (6 miles south-east), Chipping Norton (13 miles south), Neithrop (6 miles south-east), Grimsbury (7 miles south-east), Ruscote (6 miles south-east) and Bloxham (8 miles south).
Well-known places in the area include W. O. Bentley Memorial Foundation (3.3 miles south-east) and King John's Castle (3.9 miles north-west). Not far away are Edge Hill.
- Local pubs include The Rose And Crown Public House (under half a mile south-east)
Prices and what affects them
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Whether you need crockery
- Your choice of paellas
- Waiting and bar staff
- Guest numbers
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Getting an accurate quote
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- The venue or postcode
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can send us your details through our quote form.
Events we cater in Ratley
There’s no kitchen needed, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Ratley:
- Naming days and family parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Peter Ad Vincula, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Comparing caterers
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- Whether VAT is included
- The deposit and payment dates
- When final numbers are due
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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.
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.
Organising for someone else?
Organising a club, school or community event in Ratley? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Mention any other courses or food
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Places near Ratley
What else we do in Ratley
About the dishes
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together.
Space, weather and the venue
Every venue is different, so we will ask about yours when you contact us. In general, we need:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think.
What we offer
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
How it works
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 while your guests chat. Evenings in Ratley stay light until about 9:30pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:10pm; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Getting ready for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Get a quote
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Ratley? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, use our quote form.
Related guides
- 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