Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Roughdown
Love Paella cooks live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Roughdown and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Summer garden parties
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Book paella catering in Roughdown
Live paella in Roughdown: local details
Roughdown is about 3 miles south of Hythe, in Hampshire. For paella catering in Roughdown, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Roughdown. We cover all 683 towns and villages across Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Roughdown to Southampton (about 7 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Netley station, about 4.3 miles north-east. Nearby historic houses include Beaulieu Palace House (2.7 miles west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. The New Forest National Park is within about 3 miles of Roughdown, 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. Roughdown is within about 5 miles of the sea, so a seafood pan is a popular choice. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
Anywhere in SO45, we can cook for your guests. Other places close to Roughdown for paella catering include Holbury (1 mile north), Blackfield (1 mile east), Little Holbury (1 mile north), Langley (1 mile south-east) and Hardley (1 mile north). Within a short drive, we also cover Gosport (10 miles east), Eastleigh (10 miles north), Fareham (9 miles east), Totton (9 miles north-west), Chandler's Ford (11 miles north) and Hedge End (8 miles north-east).
A little further out are Beaulieu Abbey And Display Of Monastic Life (2.9 miles west) and Calshot Castle (3.5 miles east). Open spaces near Roughdown include Mercury Marshes.
- Local schools include The New Forest Academy (1.2 miles north)
How our paella catering works in Roughdown
Keep it simple, or go all out: paella on its own, or with canapés, table tapas, desserts and sangria. We will suggest what suits your event. Popular choices include black rice, paella Valenciana and mixed paella, and we’re often booked for fairs, fêtes and festivals and retirement and leaving parties.
In a rural place like Roughdown, the setting does plenty of the work: a paella cooking in a garden or field feels right at home. Tell us about access and the ground. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated.
Why choose paella catering in Roughdown?
It’s ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, where guests can mingle while it cooks before sitting down to eat.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Company summer parties
- Big birthdays
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Community events and fairs
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Blackfield Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- The venue requirements
- Allergen information for each dish
- Any travel, parking or access charges
The process
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. In Roughdown, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We put together a menu and a clear quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Before we arrive
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Get a quote
Planning paella catering in Roughdown? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just use our quote form.
Planning help
What we need at the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
Menu ideas
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Dietary needs and planning tips
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Try these:
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Bread, salad and lemon go well alongside and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
Places near Roughdown
Also in Roughdown
Paella compared with other options
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before you book.
Why book with us
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Drinks service on request
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
See How we price Or The cost guide.
Roughdown questions
Which station should guests use for Roughdown?
Netley station, about 4.3 miles north-east of the centre.
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Good Shepherd?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Are premium seafood options available?
We will talk through seafood options when we plan your menu.
What does paella catering cost?
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we’ll reply with a price.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, on request. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables can be added to your booking.
Do you cook inside?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
How far ahead should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Even if it’s short notice, it’s worth asking.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
For event organisers in Roughdown
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Roughdown? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
How we price paella catering
There is nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Timings and hours
- How many courses
- How many staff you need
- Guest numbers
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Details that help
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- Where the event is
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- A photo of the space, if you can
It is easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
- 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