West Berkshire · England
Paella Catering for Sandleford events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Sandleford: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests.
- Naming days and family parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Paella catering near Sandleford
Paella catering for your event in Sandleford
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. Typical bookings include anniversaries and engagement parties and christenings and family gatherings, serving black rice, paella Valenciana and chicken and chorizo paella.
In a hamlet or village like Sandleford, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. We plan the timings around your day, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Location
- Sandleford (RG19, RG20, RG14)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Sandleford: your questions answered
Which station should guests use for Sandleford?
The closest is Newbury station, roughly 1.4 miles away.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Gabriel's School?
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. Send us the reception address.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
Can you cater for children?
Of course. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria, yes. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so contact us early.
The process
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so we time everything to your schedule. Evenings in Sandleford stay light until about 9:25pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:10pm; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
How to prepare
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Getting a price
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Paella compared with other options
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Sandleford
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Served hot, straight from the pan
Read How we price And The cost guide.
Nearby places to Sandleford
More for events in Sandleford
Diets, allergies and planning
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Make sure each pan is labelled
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who aren’t big rice eaters.
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:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
What we offer
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
The menu, dish by dish
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
For event organisers in Sandleford
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
What affects the price in Sandleford
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- Distance and access to the venue
- Timings and hours
- Waiting and bar staff
- The number of people
Larger events generally cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
Details that help
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- A picture of the space, if you can
- The address or venue name
- Anything your venue supplies
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Occasions we cook for in Sandleford
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, because each version is cooked in its own pan. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Newbury station, about 1.4 miles north.
What to look for in a quote
- Staff numbers and hours
- When final numbers are due
- Whether travel is included
- If the price includes VAT
Live paella in Sandleford: local details
Sandleford is about 1 mile south of Newbury, in West Berkshire. From the centre of Sandleford to the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Sandleford is one of 155 towns and villages in West Berkshire where we cook. You can also see our page for Reading, about 15 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Shaw House (2.4 miles north) and Benham Park (3 miles north-west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as The Willows Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Anywhere in RG19, RG20 and RG14, we can bring paella catering to you. Streets in the area include Priory Place, Laurel Gardens and Sandleford Lodge Park, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Other places close to Sandleford for paella catering include Greenham (1 mile north-east), Newtown Common (1 mile south-west), Wash Common (1 mile west), Burghclere Common (1 mile south) and Newbury (1 mile north). Larger places within reach include Thatcham (3 miles north-east), Burghfield Common (11 miles east), Hungerford (9 miles west), Spencers Wood (15 miles east), Calcot (12 miles east) and Lambourn (13 miles north-west).
A little further out are Donnington Castle (3 miles north) and Old Chapel Textile Centre (1.6 miles east). Not far away are Beacon Hill and Audrey's Meadow.
- Schools near Sandleford include Park House School (1.1 miles west) and St Bartholomew's School (1.2 miles north-west)
- 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