Buckinghamshire · England
Paella Catering for Shabbington events
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Shabbington.
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Birthday celebrations
Live paella catering in Shabbington
Shabbington questions
We are having a ceremony at Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Which station should guests use for Shabbington?
Haddenham & Thame Parkway station, about 4.1 miles east of the centre.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and we will cook a separate pan.
What happens with live paella?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve when you are ready to eat.
Do you do starters?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
How much paella per person?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
Paella catering in Shabbington, made fresh on the day
We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook the paella in front of your guests. Once it is ready, we serve it hot from the pan. On the menu are vegetable paella, vegan paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and we are frequently booked for leaving dos and retirements and naming days and family parties.
In a hamlet or village like Shabbington, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Location
- Shabbington (HP18)
- Region
- Buckinghamshire
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Live paella or other catering?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why us?
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- A quote that spells everything out
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
Read Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
What’s in the pans
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together.
Paella Valenciana
In Valencia, the recipe is fiercely debated. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
Places near Shabbington
Also in Shabbington
Why choose paella catering in Shabbington?
Few dishes cope with mixed diets like paella, thanks to separate pans for each version. Everyone gets the same kind of meal.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Shabbington:
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Community events and fairs
- Birthday celebrations
- Anniversary celebrations
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Ickford School, can book us as a food stall.
Before booking anyone
- Payment terms and deposit
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- What happens if it rains
- Whether travel is included
DIY paella versus live catering
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
For event organisers in Shabbington
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Catering for every guest
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we plan service for when guests are ready to eat.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
Live paella in Shabbington: local details
Shabbington is about 3 miles west of Thame, in Buckinghamshire. Give us the address of your event in Shabbington, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. Shabbington is one of 263 towns and villages in Buckinghamshire we cover. Our nearest city page is Oxford, about 8 miles away.
Historic houses near Shabbington include Adwell House (4.9 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
We cook at events all over the HP18 postcode area. From Limes Way, Old Bryers Close and Ickford Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. If your venue is just outside Shabbington, we also cover Little Ickford (1 mile west), Ickford (1 mile west), North Weston (1 mile south-east), Draycott (1 mile south-west) and Albury (1 mile south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Aylesbury (10 miles north-east), High Wycombe (15 miles south-east), Elmhurst (11 miles north-east), Southcourt (10 miles east), Princes Risborough (9 miles east) and Haydon Hill (9 miles north-east).
A little further out are Thame Community Hospital (3 miles east) and Waterperry Gardens Rural Museum (2.3 miles west). Open spaces near Shabbington include Snakemoor.
- Nearby schools include Lord Williams's School (2 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include The Old Fisherman Inn (within half a mile south-east)
Before you choose a spot
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think.
Menu ideas
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
How it works
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Around midsummer it stays light in Shabbington until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You tell us the date, venue, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
How to prepare
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Plan cover in case of rain
Get a quote
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can fill in our quote form.
Read more
- 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