Wokingham · England
Paella Catering for The Holt events
Planning paella catering in The Holt? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Summer garden parties
- Naming days and family parties
Live paella catering in The Holt
Paella catering in The Holt, cooked live
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, beginning with a sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, then the stock, saffron and rice. For christenings and family gatherings and retirement celebrations, we can cook vegetable paella, vegan paella and black rice and more.
In a rural place like The Holt, the setting does plenty of the work: a giant pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Tell us about access and the ground. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
How the day works
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first as the rice is cooking. In The Holt, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- We serve, then leave our area tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
Ask for a quote
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, use our quote form.
Read more
Common questions in The Holt
Is The Holt too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
What’s the nearest station to The Holt for guests?
The closest is Wargrave station, roughly 1.7 miles away.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Does paella work for big events?
It’s ideal. Big pans feed plenty of people, and service from the pan is quick.
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.
What happens if it rains?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will talk it through before the day.
Can we choose the seafood?
We’ll suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
What we need at the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
What we offer
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
About the dishes
Seafood paella
The secret is a well-made seafood stock. Shellfish goes in towards the end so it stays tender.
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Organising for someone else?
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
What you get with us
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Fast service from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Real theatre, not just catering
See Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Paella catering around The Holt
The Holt is about 4 miles north-east of Woodley, in Wokingham. Give us the address of your event in The Holt, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. The Holt is one of 35 towns and villages in Wokingham where we cook. You can also see our page for Reading, about 7 miles away.
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Robert Piggott CofE Infant School, can book us as a food stall. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Wargrave station, about 1.7 miles west.
Wherever your event is in RG10, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Streets in the area include Blakes Lane and Bath Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Other places close to The Holt for paella catering include Kiln Green (1 mile east), Hare Hatch (1 mile south-west), Ruscombe (2 miles south-west), Waltham St Lawrence (2 miles south-east) and Twyford (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Reading (7 miles south-west), Wokingham (6 miles south), Woodley (4 miles south-west), Earley (6 miles south-west), Crowthorne (9 miles south) and Lower Earley (6 miles south-west).
Well-known places in the area include Frazer Nash Archives (3.2 miles north-west) and St Mark's Hospital (4.4 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Weycock Hill and Hurley Chalk Pit.
- Local schools include Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School (1.6 miles south-west)
- Local pubs include The Queen Victoria pub (under half a mile south-east)
Why choose paella catering in The Holt?
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
- Milestone birthday parties
- Anniversary celebrations
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
Historic houses near The Holt include Harleyford Manor (3.9 miles north) and Greenlands (4.8 miles north-west). Historic venues often limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one.
Before you book anyone
- Space, access and power needs
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Allergen information for each dish
- Whether VAT is included
Should I cook it myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. 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.
Also near The Holt
Other catering in The Holt
Planning for every diet
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Add a dietary question to your invitations
- Give us separate numbers for children
- Ensure each pan is labelled
- Tell us about coeliac guests specifically
The rice takes about 20 minutes once it goes in, so we time it carefully. If timings shift, we adapt.
Sangria and bar staff can be added to serve drinks you provide.
- 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