Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Rooksdown
Looking for paella catering in Rooksdown? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Big birthdays
- Retirement and leaving parties
Live paella catering in Rooksdown
How it works
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Around midsummer it stays light in Rooksdown until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- First, tell us about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
Before we arrive
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
Getting a price
Planning paella catering in Rooksdown? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. Just use our quote form.
Read more
Paella catering in Rooksdown, made fresh on the day
Live paella works almost anywhere with a level, ventilated spot: a garden, marquee, barn, courtyard or field in and around Rooksdown. For wedding breakfasts and evening food and engagement and anniversary parties, we can cook paella Valenciana, vegetable paella and mixed paella for your guests.
In a smaller place like Rooksdown, a garden party is often the simplest option: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Tell us about access down the lane or drive. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
How we price paella catering
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How long we’re needed on site
- Parking and unloading
Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We’ll send you a quote.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The date and time of the event
- The courses you’d like
- Where the event is
Send us the date, your venue or RG24 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, use our quote form.
Rooksdown questions
We are having a ceremony at The Good Shepherd: can you cater afterwards?
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.
Is Rooksdown close to London?
Roughly 47 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
How do you work out quantities?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Do you cover Rooksdown?
Yes, we do. Rooksdown is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
Is paella a full meal?
Paella is a meal in itself. Many hosts add tapas first or dessert after.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
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.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It’s usually the most photographed pan.
Planning for every diet
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Live paella in Rooksdown: local details
Rooksdown is about 1 mile north-west of Basingstoke, in Hampshire. Anywhere in RG24, we can bring the pans to you. Rooksdown is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. You can also see our page for Reading, about 13 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Fort Hill Community School, can book us as a food stall. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Basingstoke station, about 1.7 miles south-east.
Paella catering in RG24, RG23 and RG26 is planned around your venue and your guests. Local streets include Mill Road, The Square and Hasket Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Other places close to Rooksdown for paella catering include Winklebury (1 mile south), Sherborne St John (1 mile north-east), Basingstoke (1 mile south-east), Worting (2 miles south-west) and Buckskin (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Farnborough (15 miles east), Fleet (12 miles east), Alton (11 miles south-east), Yateley (13 miles east), Tadley (5 miles north) and Hook (7 miles east).
Nearby you’ll also find Willis Museum (1.9 miles south-east) and Park Prewett Hospital (within half a mile south). Open spaces near Rooksdown include Farleigh Hill and Daneshill Park Woods.
- Local schools include Winklebury Infant School (0.8 miles south)
For event organisers in Rooksdown
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Hosting a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Occasions we cook for in Rooksdown
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
Here are some of the events we cook for in Rooksdown and Hampshire:
- Community events and fairs
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Retirement and leaving parties
Historic houses near Rooksdown include The Vyne (2.2 miles north-east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
What your quote should include
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- The deposit and payment dates
- A clear list of what’s included
- What happens if it rains
Paella compared with other options
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why us?
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
Read Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
Towns and villages near Rooksdown
Also in Rooksdown
- 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