West Berkshire · England
Paella Catering in Theale
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Theale.
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Retirement celebrations
Book paella catering in Theale
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Paella catering in Theale, made fresh on the day
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 Theale. Popular choices include vegetable paella, mixed paella and black rice, and we’re often booked for weddings and evening receptions and christenings and family gatherings.
For a place the size of Theale, your own garden is frequently the best venue: no hire fees, and live paella feeds everyone without anyone stuck in the kitchen. Let us know about access to the house. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Location
- Theale (RG7)
- County
- West Berkshire
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Prices and what affects them
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Parking and unloading
- Your choice of paellas
- Guest numbers
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Getting an accurate quote
To speed things up, tell us:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Anything your venue supplies
- Expected numbers
- Diets and allergies you know about
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, fill in our quote form.
How it works
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell normally draws people over. Around midsummer it stays light in Theale until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it is dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- 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.
Getting ready for the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
How to get a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Related guides
Live paella or other catering?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why choose Love Paella in Theale
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Fast service from the pan
- Catering across West Berkshire, including Theale
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Read How we price Or What paella catering costs.
Working with your venue
If you are organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Theale? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Events we cater in Theale
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, thanks to separate pans for each version. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We often cook for:
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Big birthdays
Nearby historic houses include Mapledurham House (3.8 miles north-east) and Basildon Park (4.7 miles north-west). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one.
Questions to ask before booking
- Staff numbers and hours
- Whether VAT is included
- What happens if it rains
- What the price includes, item by item
Live paella in Theale: local details
Theale is about 4 miles west of Reading, in West Berkshire. Whether your event is in the middle of Theale or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cater in all 155 towns and villages across West Berkshire.
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Calcot Park? Public parks normally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Theale C.E. Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Wherever your event is in RG7, we can cook for your guests. From Station Road, High Street and Bath Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. We also cook at events in Sheffield Bottom (1 mile south-east), Englefield (1 mile north-west), Calcot (1 mile east), Beansheaf Farm (1 mile east) and Trash Green (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Newbury (11 miles west), Thatcham (8 miles west), Burghfield Common (3 miles south), Speenhamland (11 miles west), Spencers Wood (5 miles south-east) and Shaw (10 miles west).
A little further out are Battle Hospital (3.8 miles north-east) and Thames Valley Police Museum (1.2 miles south). Not far away are Hosehill Lake and Moor Copse Nature Reserve.
- Schools near Theale include Theale Green Community School (under half a mile west) and Theale Green Community School (under half a mile west)
- Nearby, you will find Red Lion pub (within half a mile north)
Also near Theale
Also in Theale
Diets, allergies and planning
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Put allergy details in writing
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Mention any other courses or food
Any staff you book serve and clear, so you can enjoy your guests.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available if your venue doesn’t provide them.
Common questions in Theale
How far is Theale from London?
About 43 miles from central London.
Could we have live paella in Calcot Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Are premium seafood options available?
Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Which paella is most popular?
That depends on who’s coming. A chicken or mixed paella is normally the most popular, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
How much does paella catering cost in Theale?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we will reply with a price.
Can you feed plenty of people?
Yes, that is what it is made for. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
When do you arrive?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Where we can cook in Theale
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but a few things matter:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Theale
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Seafood paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- 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