Hampshire · England
Paella Catering for The Mint events
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in The Mint: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, in full view of your guests.
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Weddings and evening receptions
Live paella catering in The Mint
How our paella catering works in The Mint
Paella has always been food for a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is what we bring to events in The Mint. On the menu are black rice, seafood paella and vegan paella, and we are regularly asked to cater community events and fairs and anniversaries and engagement parties.
Somewhere like The Mint, a field or garden is frequently the perfect setting. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Why choose paella catering in The Mint?
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Milestone birthday parties
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Liss station, about 0.8 miles south-west.
Comparing caterers
- Whether travel is included
- Space, access and power needs
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- A clear list of what’s included
Dishes our guests love
Black rice
Black rice gets its colour from squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It’s a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It’s usually the most photographed pan.
What paella catering costs
There’s nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- How long we’re needed on site
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Distance and access to the venue
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.
What we need to know
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- What the venue already provides
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- The venue or postcode
- Expected numbers
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Paella compared with other options
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. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
Why choose Love Paella in The Mint
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- No hidden extras in your quote
The process
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. Around midsummer it stays light in The Mint 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 is dark by about 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Contact us with the basics: when, where and how many.
- 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.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
How to get a price
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Read more
Live paella in The Mint: local details
The Mint is about 4 miles north-east of Petersfield, in Hampshire. Tell us where your event in The Mint will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up before the day. We cook in 683 places across Hampshire. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 19 miles away.
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Hope Church, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Liss Junior School, can book us as a food stall. The Mint is within about 5 miles of the South Downs National Park, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
Here we cover the GU33 postcode area, so your event can be anywhere in it. Other places close to The Mint for paella catering include Liss Forest (1 mile north-west), Liss (1 mile south-west), Rake (1 mile south-east), West Liss (1 mile south-west) and Hill Brow (1 mile south). We also cook in nearby towns such as Havant (14 miles south), Horndean (11 miles south-west), Aldershot (14 miles north), Alton (8 miles north-west), Waterlooville (13 miles south-west) and Petersfield (4 miles south-west).
A little further out are Chase Community Hospital (3.9 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Liss Riverside Railway Walk North and Wheatham Hill.
- Pubs nearby include The Temple Inn (under half a mile north-west)
Catering for every guest
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Plan seating for most guests: paella is easiest eaten sitting down
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Let us know about other food at the event
After service, we pack down our cooking area, quietly and quickly.
Need plates or staff? We can provide them.
DIY paella versus live catering
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Working with your venue
Organising a club, school or community event in The Mint? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Towns and villages near The Mint
Also in The Mint
Common questions in The Mint
Is The Mint too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
How far is The Mint from London?
About 46 miles from central London.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Is paella a full meal?
Paella is a meal in itself. Many hosts add tapas first or dessert after.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, Hampshire included. See all areas.
Are premium seafood options available?
We will talk through seafood options when we plan your menu.
How much paella per person?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, where your guests can watch.
- 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