Oxfordshire · England
Live paella catering in Wantage, Oxfordshire
Paella 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 Wantage.
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Summer garden parties
- Weddings and evening receptions
Planning an event in Wantage?
How our paella catering works in Wantage
You can keep it simple or build a full menu: paella on its own, or with canapés, table tapas, desserts and sangria. We will recommend what fits your event. We’re frequently asked to cater family celebrations and christenings and engagement and anniversary parties, with black rice, vegan paella and mixed paella.
In Wantage, live paella normally means a garden, a hall with outdoor space or a hired venue. All of them work, as long as there is a level spot to cook and somewhere close to park. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Where
- Wantage (OX12)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning live paella in Wantage
Wantage is about 8 miles west of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. We bring paella catering to homes, gardens and venues in Wantage and nearby villages. We cook in all 443 towns and villages in Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Wantage to Oxford (14 miles away).
Parks such as Betjeman Millennium Park typically need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as St Mary's School, can book us as a food stall. The North Wessex Downs National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Wantage. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
Wherever your event is in OX12, we can cook for your guests. Streets in the area include Market Place, Limborough Road and Humber Close, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Wantage sits on or near the A338 and A417, which makes travel to your event easy. For events just outside Wantage, we cover Charlton (1 mile east), East Challow (1 mile west), Letcombe Regis (2 miles south-west), West Challow (2 miles west) and Childrey (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Oxford (14 miles north-east), Didcot (8 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (8 miles north-east), Witney (14 miles north), Carterton (14 miles north-west) and Faringdon (8 miles north-west). Being one of Oxfordshire’s larger places, Wantage has plenty of venues and gardens for events.
Nearby you will also find Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection (1.9 miles north). Not far away are Letcombe Valley and Chain Hill.
- Nearby schools include King Alfred's (less than half a mile south-west) and Wantage Church of England Primary School (0.5 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Abingdon Arms (under half a mile south-east)
More for events in Wantage
What’s in the pans
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella isn’t an afterthought: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury, and is popular with adventurous guests.
Why choose live paella in Wantage?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, paella makes vegetarian, vegan and halal guests easier to cater for, because each paella has its own pan. It’s served quickly from the pan, so queues move. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
Why Wantage hosts choose us
- We cover Wantage and the whole of Oxfordshire
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Take a look at Our prices page Or What paella catering costs.
Your questions about paella catering in Wantage
We’re having a ceremony at Church of St Peter and St Paul: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook at venues 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.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
What do you need at the venue?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
What if the weather’s bad?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
What seafood can we have?
We will talk through seafood options when we plan your menu.
Is the paella cooked on site?
It is. We arrive with everything we need and cook on the day, serving it hot from the pan.
What paella catering costs
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Parking and unloading
- The number of people
- Whether you need crockery
- Starters, canapés and desserts
Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
What to tell us
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- Expected numbers
- Where the event is
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- What the venue already provides
Thinking about paella catering for your event in Wantage? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Planning for every diet
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Tell us what else is being served
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
Paella is at its best straight from the pan, so we serve when guests are ready.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal.
Occasions we cook for in Wantage
There’s no kitchen needed, so it works in gardens, fields and marquees where other catering struggles.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Wantage book us for occasions like:
- Garden get-togethers
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Company summer parties
- Festivals, fairs and school events
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Peter and St Paul, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
Comparing caterers
- When payment is due
- A clear list of what’s included
- VAT, if it applies
- When final numbers are due
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
What happens on the day
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That is what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. In Wantage, 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 4:00pm, we need lighting at the cooking spot.
- You share 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.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
How to prepare
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Getting a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, use our quote form.
Planning help
For planners, venues and organisers
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will talk you through the process. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
- 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