Oxfordshire · England
Paella Catering in Thame
Planning paella catering in Thame? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Birthday celebrations
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Weddings and evening receptions
Live paella catering in Thame
Your questions about paella catering in Thame
Can you cook at venues in the Chilterns National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, on request. Proper crockery or quality disposables can be added to your booking.
What happens if it rains?
We cook under cover, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Which paellas suit our guests?
It depends on your guests. Chicken and mixed paellas tend to go first, with seafood and vegetable pans alongside.
Do you cover Thame?
Yes, we do. Thame is one of the places we cover. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
Do you take everything away?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Paella catering in Thame, made fresh on the day
Everything is cooked from scratch on site, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We’re frequently asked to cater christenings and family gatherings and wedding breakfasts and evening food, serving paella Valenciana, seafood paella and black rice.
There are lots of options in a town like Thame: a garden, a club, a hall or a hired venue. We will agree the cooking spot beforehand. You will know exactly what’s included before you book: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
- Where
- Thame (OX9)
- Area hub
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
What else we do in Thame
Prices and what affects them
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, because of:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Parking and unloading
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Guest numbers
Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What to tell us
These details help us quote quickly:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The courses you’d like
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Your date and when you want to eat
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Organising for someone else?
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Space, weather and the venue
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
What we offer
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
Who books paella catering in Thame?
Outdoor events and live paella go together: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
In Thame and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Birthday celebrations
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Mary, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Questions to ask before booking
- When payment is due
- How long the team stays
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Space, access and power needs
How it works
A typical event goes like this: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan when you’re ready to eat. In Thame, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening events are usually served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- Timings, access and the cooking area are agreed in advance.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Give us a contact for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
Getting a price
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Thame? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Diets, allergies and planning
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Tell us what else is being served
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Request clear labels at the serving table
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
Live paella in Thame: local details
Thame is about 8 miles south-west of Aylesbury, in Oxfordshire. From the centre of Thame to the outskirts, paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cater in all 443 towns and villages across Oxfordshire. Our nearest city page is Oxford, about 11 miles away.
If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Barley Hill Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. For guests coming by train, Haddenham & Thame Parkway station is about 2.1 miles away. Thame is within about 7 miles of the Chilterns National Landscape, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Wherever your event is in OX9, we can bring paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Streets in the area include Upper High Street, Butter Market and High Street, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Main roads around Thame include the A329 and A418, which makes travel to your event easy. Close by, we cover events in Moreton (1 mile south-west), Towersey (1 mile east), Kingsey (2 miles east), Long Crendon (2 miles north-west) and Haddenham (3 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (11 miles west), Didcot (15 miles south-west), Bicester (13 miles north-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (14 miles west), Henley-on-Thames (15 miles south) and Kidlington (14 miles west). Being one of Oxfordshire’s larger places, Thame has lots of places to hold an event.
Well-known places in the area include Thame Museum (0.5 miles north-west) and Thame Community Hospital (less than half a mile south-east). The countryside around Thame includes Snakemoor.
- Nearby schools include Lord Williams's School (0.9 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include Cross Keys Public House (within half a mile south-west)
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A cold buffet is simple but has no theatre, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Larger events typically cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why Thame hosts choose us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Live cooking, not reheated food
Read Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
Should I cook it myself?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
- 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