Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Viables, Hampshire
Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Viables: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Live paella catering in Viables
About our paella catering in Viables
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked in the open in a big, shallow pan and shared straight from it. That is exactly what we bring to your event in Viables. Whether it is family celebrations and christenings and weddings, from canapés to evening food, we will put together a menu of paella Valenciana, mixed paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
A place like Viables often has a hall, a club or a pub garden nearby; any can work for paella, with permission and somewhere outside to cook. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated.
What we need at the venue
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Paella Valenciana
Your questions about paella catering in Viables
Can you cook in Hackwood Park?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Which station should guests use for Viables?
The closest is Basingstoke station, roughly 1.3 miles away.
What equipment do you bring?
All cooking kit comes with us. Tell us what the venue provides, such as tables or crockery.
Is live paella good for a large crowd?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
What seafood can we have?
We’ll suggest seafood to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and it is cooked separately.
Where do you cater?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Diets, allergies and planning
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Make sure each pan is labelled
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll serve, clear and help keep things moving, so you can relax.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Also near Viables
Also in Viables
A closer look at the menu
Mixed paella
A mix of chicken and seafood, for guests who want a bit of everything.
Vegetable and vegan paella
Seasonal vegetables on a rich sofrito base make a paella that stands on its own. For vegans, the stock is plant-based.
DIY paella versus live catering
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
What paella catering costs
Every event is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many courses
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
What we need to know
To speed things up, tell us:
- Anything your venue supplies
- The date and time of the event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The address or venue name
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, fill in our quote form.
Is live paella right for your event?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
Why us?
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
Read Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
What happens on the day
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell generally draws people over. In Viables, 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 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- We start with a few details about your event.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- We serve from the pan, then pack down.
How to prepare
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Ask for a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
For planners, venues and organisers
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
Paella catering around Viables
Viables is about 1 mile south-east of Basingstoke, in Hampshire. For paella catering in Viables, we plan around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Viables is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. You can also see our page for Reading, about 15 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include The Vyne (3.9 miles north). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you are booking one. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
This part of Hampshire takes in RG21, RG22 and RG25, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Local streets include Grove Road, Porter Road and Morley Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Cliddesden (1 mile south), Eastrop (1 mile north), Oakridge (1 mile north), Lychpit (2 miles north-east) and Old Basing (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cater in Farnborough (14 miles east), Fleet (11 miles east), Aldershot (14 miles east), Alton (8 miles south-east), Yateley (13 miles north-east) and Tadley (8 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include Willis Museum (0.9 miles north) and Festival Place (1.1 miles north). Green spaces nearby include The Mill Field and Farleigh Hill.
- Schools near Viables include Queen Mary's College (less than half a mile north) and The Costello School (0.9 miles north-east)
- Pubs nearby include Jolly Farmer Public House (0.8 miles south-west)
- 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