Oxfordshire · England
Live paella catering in Rowstock, Oxfordshire
Something for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Rowstock.
- Naming days and family parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Birthday celebrations
Paella catering near Rowstock
How our paella catering works in Rowstock
Almost any venue with a level, ventilated spot will do: gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and festival fields in and around Rowstock. Typical bookings include weddings, from canapés to evening food and birthday celebrations, with chicken and chorizo paella, black rice and vegetable paella.
In a small place like Rowstock, events are normally in a garden, a field or a nearby hall. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives and we’ll plan for them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
- Location
- Rowstock (OX11)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
The menu, dish by dish
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, rather than seafood. It’s frequently the most popular pan at an event.
What we need at the venue
We’ll be honest if a space won’t work, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Menu ideas
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
What else we do in Rowstock
Live paella or other catering?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Larger events typically cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why us?
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- A quote that spells everything out
Read Our pricing Or What paella catering costs.
What paella catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- How many courses
- Distance and access to the venue
- Your choice of paellas
- The length of service
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What to tell us
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- The venue or postcode
- The date and time of the event
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- What the venue already provides
Send us the date, your venue or OX11 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
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.
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 be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
FAQs for Rowstock
Is Rowstock too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Matthew?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Will there be enough food?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Accurate numbers help.
What do you need at the venue?
Less than you might think: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a picture.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
Can you bring crockery?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Rowstock: venues, travel and local tips
Rowstock is about 3 miles west of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. Anywhere in OX11, we can cook for your guests. Rowstock is one of 443 towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover. Our events stretch from Rowstock to Oxford (11 miles away).
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Didcot Parkway station, about 3 miles east. For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Matthew, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. The North Wessex Downs National Landscape is within about 7 miles of Rowstock, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Paella catering in OX11 is planned around your venue and timings. Local streets include Tudor Walk, Wantage Road and Reading Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Other places close to Rowstock for paella catering include East Hendred (1 mile west), West Hendred (2 miles west), Ardington (3 miles west), East Lockinge (3 miles west) and West Ilsley (4 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (11 miles north), Didcot (3 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (5 miles north), Witney (15 miles north-west), Wantage (5 miles west) and Grove (5 miles west).
A little further out are Atlas Computer Laboratory (1.7 miles south) and Abingdon Community Hospital (4.9 miles north). Open spaces near Rowstock include Mowbray Fields and Churn Hill.
- Local schools include UTC Oxfordshire (1.6 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include Old Chequers pub (0.8 miles east)
Catering for every guest
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Send allergies to us in writing
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Request clear labels at the serving table
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
We can add sangria and bar staff to serve drinks you provide.
Working with your venue
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Rowstock? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
The process
We take care of the food from set-up to service, so you can enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first as the rice is cooking. Around midsummer it stays light in Rowstock until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- 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
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Give us your final numbers and diets
How to get a price
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
Planning help
- 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