Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Rowlands Castle
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Rowlands Castle and across Hampshire.
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Weddings and evening receptions
Paella catering for Rowlands Castle events
Live paella in Rowlands Castle: local details
Rowlands Castle is about 2 miles north-east of Havant, in Hampshire. Events in Rowlands Castle are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cook in 683 places across Hampshire. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 19 miles away.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as The Church on the Green, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Havant Academy, can book us as a food stall. The South Downs National Park is within about 7 miles of Rowlands Castle. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in PO9 is planned around your venue and your guests. Streets in the area include Stansted Close, College Close and Redhill Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. For events just outside Rowlands Castle, we cover Durrants (1 mile south), Leigh Park (2 miles south-west), Havant (2 miles south-west), Denvilles (2 miles south) and Westbourne (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Gosport (10 miles south-west), Fareham (10 miles west), Hedge End (15 miles west), Waterlooville (3 miles west), Petersfield (8 miles north) and Purbrook (3 miles south-west).
A little further out are Havant War Memorial Hospital (2.6 miles south-west) and Havant Museum (2.7 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Compton Down and Brook Meadow (Emsworth).
- Pubs nearby include Robin Hood Inn (under half a mile north-east)
Paella catering in Rowlands Castle, cooked live
The cooking is half the fun. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the smell does the rest. Whether it is naming days and family parties and office lunches and staff parties, we can cook vegetable paella, seafood paella and chicken and chorizo paella for your guests.
In a smaller place like Rowlands Castle, a garden party is frequently the simplest option: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Let us know about access to the house. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
Live paella or other catering?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, because each paella has its own pan. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why Rowlands Castle hosts choose us
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Fast service from the pan
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
For event organisers in Rowlands Castle
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Towns and villages near Rowlands Castle
What else we do in Rowlands Castle
Rowlands Castle questions
Which station should guests use for Rowlands Castle?
Rowlands Castle station, in Rowlands Castle itself.
Can you cook at venues in the South Downs National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
How many paellas should we have?
Generally two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
Does paella work for big events?
Yes. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, on request. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables can be added to your booking.
What happens with live paella?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve at the time you want.
About the dishes
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is normally served with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s generally the most photographed pan.
Who books paella catering in Rowlands Castle?
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
In Rowlands Castle and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Garden get-togethers
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Festivals, fairs and school events
For guests coming by train, Rowlands Castle station is in Rowlands Castle itself.
What to look for in a quote
- Allergen information for each dish
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- VAT, if it applies
What paella catering costs
The price comes down to a few factors:
- How many guests are eating
- Timings and hours
- The paellas you choose
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Larger events typically cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Details that help
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Where the event is
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- Diets and allergies you know about
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Put allergy details in writing
- Ask for labels on each pan
- Give us separate numbers for children
A short rest after cooking helps, and that is when we invite guests up.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue does not provide them.
What happens on the day
Watching it cook is half the fun. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook. In Rowlands Castle, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. In December it is dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- 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.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
How to get a price
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
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