Isle of Wight · England
Paella Catering in Shide
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Shide.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Paella catering near Shide
How we price paella catering
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many guests are eating
- Travel, parking and access
- Your choice of paellas
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Details that help
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- Which courses you have in mind
- Where the event is
- The date and rough timings
- A picture of the space, if you can
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Paella catering in Shide, cooked live
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. On the menu are seafood paella, vegan paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and we’re frequently booked for garden parties and summer barbecues and weddings, from canapés to evening food.
In and around Shide, gardens and local halls are common choices. If the road in is narrow, tell us so we can plan the van. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
- Location
- Shide (PO30)
- County
- Isle of Wight
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Is live paella right for your event?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is ready all at once, so everyone eats together. There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why book with us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Fast service from the pan
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Take a look at Our prices page And The cost guide.
What else we do in Shide
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It is the pan people photograph.
Where we can cook in Shide
Every venue is different, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Somewhere close to park and unload
For somewhere as remote as Shide, early notice helps us plan the trip.
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Shide
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Confirm allergies by email
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Mention any other courses or food
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can relax.
Tapas or canapés make a good start while the paella cooks.
Live paella in Shide: local details
Shide is about 1 mile south-east of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. For an event in Shide, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. Shide is one of 125 towns and villages in the Isle of Wight where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Shide to Southampton (16 miles away).
Historic houses near Shide include Carisbrooke Castle (1 mile west) and Gatcombe House (2.1 miles south). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Nine Acres Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. The coast is within about 5 miles of Shide, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Coastal wind means we plan a sheltered spot.
We cover events in every part of the PO30 postcode area and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Pan Lane, Ash Road and Dairy Lane, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Being close to the A3020, Shide is simple for us to get to for your event. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Newport (1 mile north-west), Blackwater (1 mile south), Downend (2 miles east), Merstone (3 miles south-east) and Rookley (3 miles south). Larger places within reach include Ryde (6 miles east), Cowes (5 miles north), Sandown (6 miles south-east), Shanklin (7 miles south-east), Ventnor (8 miles south-east) and East Cowes (4 miles north). For an event at a remote venue, tell us early so we can plan the journey.
Nearby you will also find St Mary's Hospital (1.3 miles north) and Carisbrooke Castle (1 mile west). Green spaces nearby include Mill Hill and Briddlesford Nature Reserve.
- Schools near Shide include Island Innovation VI Form Campus (under half a mile north) and Christ The King College (0.8 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include The Cranbourne Arms Public House (less than half a mile north-west)
The process
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and get on with cooking and serving. In Shide, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 4:00pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve from the pan, then clear our cooking area away.
Preparing for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
Ask for a quote
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
Related guides
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
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 enjoy the party, let us cook.
Shide questions
We’re having a ceremony at Church of St. John the Baptist: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook near the sea around Shide?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Can we choose the seafood?
We’ll suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is normally popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Is paella a full meal?
Yes. Paella with bread and salad makes a full main course, and tapas or dessert can be added.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Working with your venue
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Shide? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
- 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