Oxfordshire · England
Live paella catering in Upton, Oxfordshire
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 Upton.
- Big birthdays
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
- Garden get-togethers
Paella catering in Upton
Should I cook it myself?
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.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Paella catering for your event in Upton
Watching it cook is part of the experience. People drift over as the sofrito sizzles and the rice turns gold, and the aroma does the rest. We cook vegetable paella, paella Valenciana and seafood paella, and we are often booked for anniversary celebrations and family celebrations and christenings.
Somewhere as small as Upton, a garden or field is often the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and a firm spot near where we park makes set-up easier. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Location
- Upton (OX11)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Dietary needs and planning tips
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Mention any other courses or food
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Put allergy details in writing
A short rest after cooking helps, which is when we typically call guests over.
We can add sangria and bar staff for your own drinks.
Places near Upton
More for events in Upton
Is live paella right for your event?
A plated meal needs a kitchen, more staff and generally costs more per head. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission to cook, and gives guests something to watch. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Upton
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Drinks service on request
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Why choose paella catering in Upton?
Live paella is food and a show in one. The cooking becomes the centre of the event, and the food is hot and generous.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Retirement celebrations
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Office lunches and staff parties
For guests coming by train, Didcot Parkway station is about 2.4 miles away.
Questions to ask before you book
- Space, access and power needs
- Allergen information for each dish
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- When payment is due
Planners, venues and businesses
If you’re organising for someone else, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
How the day works
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. Planning an evening event in Upton? Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- We arrive early, set up the cooking area and start the stock.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- It is served straight from the pan, and we pack down afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Getting a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can fill in our quote form.
Related guides
What affects the price in Upton
There’s nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Travel, parking and access
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Guest numbers
- Waiting and bar staff
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Getting an accurate quote
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Roughly how many adults and children
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, use our quote form.
Catering an event in Upton
Upton is about 2 miles south of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. Wherever your event is in the OX11 area, we can bring the pans to you. Upton is one of 443 towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover. Our events stretch from Upton to Oxford (12 miles away).
Historic houses near Upton include Brightwell Manor (4.7 miles north-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Mary, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. Upton is within about 5 miles of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, and country venues and gardens there suit live paella perfectly. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cook at events all over OX11 and the streets around it. Streets in the area include High Street, London Road and Pound Lane, and we can cook for an event on any of them. For events just outside Upton, we cover West Hagbourne (1 mile north), Coscote (1 mile north), East Hagbourne (1 mile north-east), Blewbury (1 mile south-east) and Chilton (2 miles south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Oxford (12 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles north), Wantage (7 miles west), Grove (7 miles west), Faringdon (15 miles west) and Benson (7 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Atlas Computer Laboratory (2.4 miles west) and Brightwell Castle (4.7 miles north-east). Open spaces near Upton include Churn Hill and Mowbray Fields.
- Local schools include St Birinus School (1.8 miles north-east)
- Local pubs include The George at Upton pub (within half a mile south-west)
What’s in the pans
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a paella that stands on its own. Vegan versions use plant-based stock.
Your questions about paella catering in Upton
Do you cater in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
What’s the nearest station to Upton for guests?
The closest is Didcot Parkway station, roughly 2.4 miles away.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Is halal food available?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in a separate pan.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will help you decide the split.
- 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