Oxfordshire · England
Live paella catering in Tilehurst, Oxfordshire
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Tilehurst.
- Office lunches and staff parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Paella catering near Tilehurst
Tilehurst: your questions answered
Could we have live paella in Round Copse?
Only if the landowner, usually the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Is Tilehurst close to London?
Roughly 41 miles from the centre of London.
How soon do we need to book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so get in touch early.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
How much is live paella catering?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we’ll reply with a price.
What is live paella catering?
We cook from scratch at your venue in big pans, in front of your guests, and serve straight from the pan.
Do you bring everything you need?
All cooking kit comes with us. Let us know what your venue has, like tables or crockery.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Tilehurst.
Paella catering in Tilehurst, cooked live
There’s something generous about paella: big pans, bright colours and a crispy base everyone wants a spoonful of. It makes the food an event in itself. Typical bookings include christenings and family gatherings and engagement and anniversary parties, with paella Valenciana, vegan paella and mixed paella.
A place like Tilehurst frequently has a hall, a club or a pub garden nearby; live paella can work at any of them, given permission and outdoor space. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Location
- Tilehurst (RG31, RG30)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Nearby places to Tilehurst
More for events in Tilehurst
The menu, dish by dish
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It is a striking addition to a seafood menu.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella starts with a good fish and shellfish stock. The shellfish is added late so it stays tender.
Prices and what affects them
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Waiting and bar staff
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
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.
What to tell us
For a quote, it helps to have:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The courses you’d like
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Anything your venue supplies
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Where we can cook in Tilehurst
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
On the menu in Tilehurst
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegan paella
- Mixed paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Paella catering around Tilehurst
Tilehurst is about 3 miles west of Reading, in Oxfordshire. We cater events at homes, gardens and venues in Tilehurst and the surrounding area. Tilehurst is one of 443 towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover.
Parks such as Round Copse generally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Nearby historic houses include Mapledurham House (1.6 miles north) and Basildon Park (4.5 miles north-west). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Here we cover the RG31 and RG30 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. From Ash Road, Tyle Road and Riley Road or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. Other places close to Tilehurst for paella catering include Tilehurst Within (1 mile south-east), Norcot (1 mile east), Little Heath (1 mile west), Horncastle (1 mile south-east) and Purley on Thames (1 mile north). Within a short drive, we also cover Didcot (14 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (7 miles north-east), Benson (11 miles north), Wallingford (10 miles north-west), Great Western Park (14 miles north-west) and Watlington (13 miles north).
A little further out are Battle Hospital (1.7 miles east) and Broad Street Mall (2.6 miles east). Open spaces near Tilehurst include South Lake and Moor Copse Nature Reserve.
- Local schools include Little Heath School (1.1 miles south-west)
- Local pubs include The Butchers Arms (within half a mile north-west)
What happens on the day
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. In Tilehurst, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan the menu with you, including every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- Service is straight from the pan, then we pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
Ask for a quote
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Read more
Paella compared with other options
Plated meals need a kitchen and a bigger team. 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. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
What you get with us
- We cover Tilehurst and the whole of Oxfordshire
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Fast service from the pan
- No hidden extras in your quote
Take a look at Our pricing Or What paella catering costs.
Why choose paella catering in Tilehurst?
There is no kitchen needed, so it’s at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Tilehurst:
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Naming days and family parties
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
- Company summer parties
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Park Lane Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether travel is included
- Allergen information for each dish
- How bad weather is handled
- Whether VAT is included
Dietary needs and planning tips
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Ensure most guests can sit to eat
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Mention any other courses or food
- Send allergies to us in writing
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we start it at the right moment for your event. If timings shift, we adapt.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
- 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