Oxfordshire · England
Paella Catering in Tidmarsh
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Tidmarsh: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Big birthdays
- Weddings and evening receptions
Live paella catering in Tidmarsh
Paella catering for your event in Tidmarsh
Watching it cook is part of the experience. Guests gather round as the sofrito sizzles and the saffron colours the rice, and the smell does the rest. Typical bookings include community events and fairs and garden get-togethers, with vegetable paella, seafood paella and paella Valenciana.
For a rural spot like Tidmarsh, the countryside is part of the appeal: a huge pan in a garden or field fits perfectly. Tell us about access and the ground. We serve straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
- Location
- Tidmarsh (RG8)
- Area hub
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Tidmarsh: venues, travel and local tips
Tidmarsh is about 5 miles west of Reading, in Oxfordshire. Give us the address of your event in Tidmarsh, and we’ll plan access and set-up. Tidmarsh is one of 443 towns and villages in Oxfordshire where we cook.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Pangbourne station, about 1.1 miles north. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Laurence, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. The North Wessex Downs National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Tidmarsh, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Check your venue’s rules on vehicles and cooking.
We cater events across RG8 and the streets around it. We can cater an event on streets such as Strachey Close and Tidmarsh Lane. If your venue is just outside Tidmarsh, we also cover Sulham (1 mile east), Pangbourne (1 mile north), Whitchurch-on-Thames (1 mile north), Little Heath (2 miles south-east) and Englefield (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Didcot (12 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (9 miles north-east), Benson (10 miles north), Wallingford (9 miles north), Great Western Park (12 miles north-west) and Watlington (13 miles north).
A little further out are Thames Valley Police Museum (3.5 miles south) and Battle Hospital (4 miles east). Not far away are Moor Copse Nature Reserve and Hosehill Lake.
- Schools near Tidmarsh include Denefield School (1.4 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include The Cross Keys pub (0.9 miles north)
Nearby places to Tidmarsh
More for events in Tidmarsh
For event organisers in Tidmarsh
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 run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
What we need at the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Events we cater in Tidmarsh
Live paella is made for outdoor events: it’s cooked in the open, served hot and eaten together.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Retirement celebrations
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Milestone birthday parties
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Pangbourne Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Questions to ask before you book
- Allergen information for each dish
- The deposit and payment dates
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- Whether VAT is included
A closer look at the menu
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: peppers, artichokes and beans with saffron.
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, cooked until the rice is golden. It is normally the most photographed pan.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and normally costs more per head. Live paella needs only a level, ventilated spot and permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Why us?
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
Read Our prices page And The cost guide.
What affects the price in Tidmarsh
The price comes down to a few factors:
- The paellas you choose
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- How many guests are eating
- How many staff you need
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Getting an accurate quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- What the venue already provides
- Diets and allergies you know about
- The date and time of the event
- The courses you’d like
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
Step by step
Service is quick: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. When service is finished, we pack down. In Tidmarsh, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and how many.
- Expect a menu idea and a clear, itemised price.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- On the day we cook live, timed around your event.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
How to get a price
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you are ready: fill in our quote form.
Planning help
FAQs for Tidmarsh
Do you cater in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
How far is Tidmarsh from London?
About 43 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Which paellas do you recommend?
Most events choose two or three: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. See the sample menu.
When do you arrive?
We get there in good time to set up. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Is halal food available?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it is cooked separately.
Can you provide dessert?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
How soon do we need to book?
The sooner the better. Peak dates go quickly, so get in touch early.
How much space do you need?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
- 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