Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in Sandy Down
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Sandy Down. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Anniversary celebrations
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Live paella catering in Sandy Down
Occasions we cook for in Sandy Down
Live paella is food and a show in one. The pans become a focal point, and the food itself is hot and plentiful.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Milestone birthday parties
- Retirement celebrations
For guests coming by train, Brockenhurst station is about 1.6 miles away.
Before booking anyone
- The deposit and payment dates
- Who provides the crockery
- Space, access and power needs
- The deadline for final numbers
Paella catering for your event in Sandy Down
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That’s exactly what we bring to your event in Sandy Down. For retirement celebrations and milestone birthday parties, we will put together a menu of paella Valenciana, mixed paella and seafood paella for your guests.
In a hamlet or village like Sandy Down, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you get in touch. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan.
Questions from Sandy Down
Do you cater in the New Forest National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
We’re having a ceremony at Church of St John: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Can you feed plenty of people?
Yes, that’s what it is made for. We size pans and serving points to your guest list.
What space do you need to cook?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a picture if you are not sure.
What does paella catering cost?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
How many different paellas?
Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
How long does the paella take?
We get there in good time to set up. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Are premium seafood options available?
Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
Step by step
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and get on with cooking and serving. Around midsummer it stays light in Sandy Down 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 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Let us know the timings for the day
How to get a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Live paella in Sandy Down: local details
Sandy Down is about 3 miles north of Lymington, in Hampshire. Anywhere in SO41, we will come to your venue or garden. Sandy Down is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Sandy Down to Southampton (about 11 miles away).
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St John, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. The New Forest National Park is within about 2 miles of Sandy Down, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking. Sandy Down is within about 4 miles of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
Anywhere in SO41, we can cook for your guests. Streets in the area include Sandy Down, Lower Sandy Down and Hurstly Lane, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Close by, we cover events in Battramsley (1 mile south), Boldre (1 mile south-east), Mount Pleasant (1 mile south-west), Pilley (1 mile south-east) and Warborne (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastleigh (15 miles north-east), Totton (9 miles north), Chandler's Ford (15 miles north-east), Hedge End (14 miles north-east), Lymington (3 miles south) and Romsey (14 miles north).
A little further out are Lymington New Forest Hospital (1.9 miles south) and St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery (2.6 miles south). The countryside around Sandy Down includes Boldre Foreshore.
- Local pubs include The Hobler Public House (within half a mile south-west)
Dishes our guests love
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Catering for every guest
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Tell us what else is being served
- Confirm allergies by email
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Sangria and bar staff can be added to serve drinks you provide.
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. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why choose Love Paella in Sandy Down
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Towns and villages near Sandy Down
More for events in Sandy Down
Planning the cooking area
We will be honest if a space will not work. What matters most:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
On the menu in Sandy Down
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
What paella catering costs
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- The length of service
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Parking and unloading
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Getting an accurate quote
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The courses you’d like
- Where the event is
- Diets and allergies you know about
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
- 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