Hampshire · England
Paella Catering in St Ives
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in St Ives and across Hampshire.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Retirement celebrations
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
Paella catering for St Ives events
Before you choose a spot
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
Popular choices
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
How our paella catering works in St Ives
Keep it simple, or go all out: just paella, or paella with tapas, desserts and drinks. We will suggest what suits your event. Typical bookings include big birthdays and christenings and family gatherings, with black rice, chicken and chorizo paella and vegetable paella.
In a hamlet or village like St Ives, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Gates, verges and soft ground are worth mentioning when you enquire. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served as soon as it is ready.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
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 for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
How it works
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you’re free to enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first as the rice is cooking. In St Ives, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 4:05pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You share your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
How to prepare
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
How to get a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
Related guides
Paella compared with other options
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. It’s served quickly from the pan, so queues move. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why us?
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Read Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
Your questions about paella catering in St Ives
Could we have live paella in Avon Heath Country Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
Can you cater a reception after a service at All Saints?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
What if the weather’s bad?
We cook under cover, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Ask for labels on each pan
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If plans change, tell us and we will adjust.
Sangria and bar staff can be added for your own drinks.
Planners, venues and businesses
Organising a club, school or community event in St Ives? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Catering an event in St Ives
St Ives is in Hampshire. For paella catering in St Ives, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cook in 683 places in Hampshire. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 20 miles away.
Parks such as Avon Heath Country Park generally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as St Ives Primary & Nursery School, can book us as a food stall. The New Forest National Park is within about 6 miles of St Ives, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Paella catering in BH24 is planned around your venue. Whether your event is on Compton Beeches, Post Office Lane and Azalea Close or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Ashley Heath (1 mile west), Avon Castle (1 mile south-east), St Leonards (1 mile south-west) and Matchams (1 mile south). We also cook in nearby towns such as Totton (15 miles east), Lymington (13 miles south-east), New Milton (9 miles south-east), Barton on Sea (10 miles south-east), Ashley (10 miles south-east) and Milford on Sea (13 miles south-east).
Other landmarks nearby include St Leonard's Hospital (1.8 miles south-west). The countryside around St Ives includes Blashford Lakes and Linbrook Lake.
- Schools near St Ives include Ringwood Waldorf School (0.9 miles north-east) and Ringwood School (2 miles north-east)
Also near St Ives
Other catering in St Ives
Perfect for your event in St Ives
It is ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, with guests mingling as it cooks before sitting down to eat.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Big birthdays
- Christenings and family gatherings
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like All Saints, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Before booking anyone
- Staff numbers and hours
- The venue requirements
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Exactly what’s included in the price
A closer look at the menu
Vegetable and vegan paella
A slow sofrito, seasonal vegetables and a good vegetable stock make a paella that stands on its own. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The classic version is chicken, green beans and butter beans with saffron, and it is a crowd-pleaser.
- 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