Southampton · England
Paella Catering in St Mary's
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in St Mary's: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Engagement and anniversary parties
Paella catering in St Mary's
About our paella catering in St Mary's
Live paella catering means we bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients to your event and cook in front of your guests. When it is ready, it is served straight from the pan. We’re frequently asked to cater wedding breakfasts and evening food and leaving dos and retirements, with black rice, vegan paella and seafood paella.
There may be a hall or club near St Mary's if your garden is small; any can work for paella, with permission and somewhere outside to cook. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
- Where
- St Mary's (SO14, SO15, SO18)
- County
- Southampton
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Why choose live paella in St Mary's?
Compared with a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, because each paella has its own pan. It’s served quickly from the pan, so queues move. 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.
Why book with us
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- We cover St Mary's and the whole of Southampton
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
See Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Step by step
When we arrive, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. Planning an evening event in St Mary's? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- A week or so before, we confirm the plan.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Give us a contact for the day
Ask for a quote
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we will suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Read more
Planning the cooking area
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think.
Popular choices
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
Occasions we cook for in St Mary's
It’s ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, where guests can mingle while it cooks and then sit down to share.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in St Mary's and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Staff parties and work lunches
- Garden get-togethers
For a christening or wedding at a church such as St Mary's Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Before booking anyone
- When final numbers are due
- When payment is due
- How bad weather is handled
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
Places near St Mary's
Other catering in St Mary's
Diets, allergies and planning
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Let us know if anyone has coeliac disease
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
Once everyone is fed, we clear our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Finish with churros, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Questions from St Mary's
Can you cook near the sea around St Mary's?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
We’re having a ceremony at St Mary's Church: 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 usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
What happens if it rains?
We cook under cover, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Do we need to provide equipment?
We bring the pans, burners and ingredients. You provide a suitable spot and access.
How does live paella catering work?
We set up a cooking area at your venue, cook the paella from scratch in large pans while your guests watch, and serve it straight from the pan.
Do you cook it at the event?
It is. We arrive with everything we need and cook it there and then, then serve straight from the pan.
Planners, venues and businesses
Organising a club, school or community event in St Mary's? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
Hosting a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Should I cook it 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 for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, and is typically served with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Live paella in St Mary's: local details
St Mary's is about 1 mile south of Southampton, in Southampton. For paella catering in St Mary's, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cater in 40 places across Southampton.
Parks such as Houndwell Park normally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Nearby historic houses include Southampton Tudor House and Garden (0.6 miles south-west) and Medieval Merchant's House (0.6 miles south-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The New Forest National Park is within about 7 miles of St Mary's, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours. St Mary's is within about a mile of the sea, and seafood paella always feels right near the sea. Sea breezes can be strong, so we plan a sheltered cooking spot.
We cover events in every part of SO14, SO15 and SO18 and the streets around it. From New Road, Ogle Road and Marsh Lane or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. Nearby, we also cater events in Northam (1 mile north-east), Inner Avenue (1 mile north), Peartree Green (1 mile east), Southampton (1 mile north) and Bitterne Manor (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Chartwell Green (3 miles north-east), Harefield (3 miles east), Maybush (3 miles north-west), Coxford (3 miles north-west), Lordswood (3 miles north-west) and Eling (4 miles west).
A little further out are Netley Castle (2.5 miles south-east) and Bargate Guildhall Museum (under half a mile south-west). Green spaces nearby include Netley Common.
- Schools near St Mary's include Inspire Enterprise Academy (less than half a mile south-east) and Woolston School (1.4 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include The Joiners pub (less than half a mile south)
- 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