Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for Steep events
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Steep. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Weddings and evening receptions
Paella catering near Steep
Paella catering in Steep, cooked live
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That’s what we bring to events in Steep. Popular choices include paella Valenciana, mixed paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and we are frequently booked for christenings and family gatherings and garden parties and summer barbecues.
In a hamlet or village like Steep, your own garden or a neighbour’s field can make a wonderful venue. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
How we price paella catering
These are the factors that matter most:
- Guest numbers
- Timings and hours
- The paellas you choose
- How many staff you need
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What to tell us
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- What the venue already provides
- The address or venue name
To get a price, fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
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. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Why us?
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- A clear, itemised quote
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Fast service from the pan
See Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
Live paella in Steep: local details
Steep is about 1 mile north of Petersfield, in Hampshire. For paella catering in Steep, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Steep. Steep is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 21 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Petersfield station is about 1.4 miles away. If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of All Saints, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Steep is within about 2 miles of the South Downs National Park, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Paella catering in GU32 is planned around your venue and your guests. Your event could be at a home on Church Road and Mill Lane or the roads around them. We also cook at events in Steep Marsh (1 mile north), Sheet (1 mile south-east), Oakshott (1 mile north), Petersfield (1 mile south) and Stroud (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cater in Havant (11 miles south), Horndean (9 miles south), Alton (9 miles north), Waterlooville (11 miles south), Purbrook (12 miles south) and Bordon (7 miles north-east).
Nearby you will also find Bear Museum (1.7 miles south) and Petersfield Community Hospital (1.5 miles south). Not far away are Liss Riverside Railway Walk South and Wheatham Hill.
- Schools near Steep include Churcher's College (1.3 miles south-east) and The Petersfield School (1.8 miles south)
- Nearby, you will find The Cricketers Inn (0.5 miles south-west)
What we need at the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Menu ideas
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
Dishes our guests love
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a proper main dish. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
Black rice
Black rice looks dramatic and tastes of the sea.
Steep questions
Can you cook at venues in the South Downs National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
We’re having a ceremony at Church of All Saints: can you cater afterwards?
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.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we will quote for the rest.
Which paellas suit our guests?
Most events choose two or three: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. See the sample menu.
What space do you need to cook?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
What about pudding?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.
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.
Occasions we cook for in Steep
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, so it suits all kinds of occasions. It also gives guests something to watch and talk about.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Big birthdays
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Steep Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Comparing caterers
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Travel and parking costs
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- What happens if it rains
How it works
We work to your timings. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we adjust the cooking so it’s served at its best. Around midsummer it stays light in Steep until about 9:20pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:05pm, so summer evening events are generally served in daylight. For winter events, when it’s dark by about 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- The rice cooks in full view, while tapas or canapés go round.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Getting ready for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Tell us where to park and unload
Ask for a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, use our quote form.
Related guides
Planners, venues and businesses
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Organising a club, school or community event in Steep? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Places near Steep
What else we do in Steep
Dietary needs and planning tips
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Put allergy details in writing
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Make sure each pan is labelled
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Add canapé tapas with the drinks or table tapas as a starter as the rice cooks.
- 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