Reading · England
Paella Catering in Shinfield
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 for events in Shinfield.
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Birthday celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
Planning an event in Shinfield?
Your questions about paella catering in Shinfield
How far is Shinfield from London?
Roughly 37 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Can you cook in Pearman's Copse?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
How long does the paella take?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance so the paella is ready when you want it.
Which paellas suit our guests?
It depends on your guests. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Can we choose the seafood?
We will suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium shellfish can be added.
What about pudding?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
Can you cater for children?
Of course. Children often love a simple chicken paella. Tell us how many are coming.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
Paella catering in Shinfield, cooked live
A couple of different pans covers everyone: meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan paellas. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. Typical bookings include garden parties and summer barbecues and leaving dos and retirements, with vegetable paella, vegan paella and black rice.
For a place the size of Shinfield, your own garden is often the best venue: no venue hire, and nobody stuck cooking. Tell us about access down the lane or drive. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Where we can cook in Shinfield
Every venue is different, so we’ll ask about yours when you contact us. In general, we need:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
About the dishes
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana is the original: chicken, beans and saffron, rather than seafood. It is a favourite with guests who don’t eat fish.
Towns and villages near Shinfield
Other catering in Shinfield
Planning live paella in Shinfield
Shinfield is about 3 miles south of Reading, in Reading. We bring paella catering to homes, gardens and venues in Shinfield and the surrounding area. Shinfield is one of 34 towns and villages in Reading where we cook.
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Mary the Virgin, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. For guests coming by train, Reading Green Park station is about 2.6 miles away.
Paella catering in RG2 is planned around your venue and timings. From Teal Grove, Songbird Close and Skylark Way or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. We also cook at events in Ryeish Green (1 mile south-west), Whitley Wood (1 mile north-west), Three Mile Cross (1 mile west), Great Lea Common (1 mile west) and Arborfield (2 miles east). Further out, we also cater in Caversham (5 miles north), Norcot (5 miles north-west), West Reading (4 miles north-west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles north-west), Arborfield Garrison (3 miles south-east) and Caversham Heights (5 miles north). Being one of Reading’s larger places, Shinfield has plenty of venues and gardens for events.
A little further out are Berkshire Library & Museum of Freemasonry (2.9 miles north-east) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (3.1 miles north). Not far away are Longwater and Sonning Hill.
- Local schools include Oakbank (0.7 miles west) and Ryeish Green School (0.7 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include Bell & Bottle pub (within half a mile south-east)
The process
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. In Shinfield, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive early to set up the burners and pans.
- The sofrito, stock and rice go in, and guests gather to watch.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Tell us when you want to eat
How to get a price
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Shinfield? Send us the details and we will come back with ideas and a quote. To get in touch, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Live paella or other catering?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, because each paella has its own pan. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Why Shinfield hosts choose us
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- A clear, itemised quote
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Take a look at Our prices page Or Our guide to catering costs.
Why choose paella catering in Shinfield?
It suits relaxed, sociable events, with guests mingling as it cooks before sitting down to eat.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Common bookings include:
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Nearby historic houses include Stratfield Saye House (4.5 miles south-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Before you book anyone
- Space, access and power needs
- Whether VAT is included
- What the price includes, item by item
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
For event organisers in Shinfield
Throwing a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
What paella catering costs
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Parking and unloading
- How long we are needed on site
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
What we need to know
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Where the event is
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- A picture of where we’d cook
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
- 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