West Berkshire · England
Live paella catering in Wash Common, West Berkshire
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Wash Common. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Garden get-togethers
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Live paella catering in Wash Common
About our paella catering in Wash Common
Two or three pans side by side cover every guest: meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan paellas. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. We cook paella Valenciana, vegetable paella and seafood paella, and typical bookings are for company summer parties and wedding breakfasts and evening food.
In and around Wash Common, gardens and local halls are common choices. If the road in is narrow, tell us so we can plan the van. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
- Where
- Wash Common (RG14, RG20)
- Area hub
- West Berkshire
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Live paella or other catering?
Vans serve one order at a time. A paella pan serves many portions quickly, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Why book with us
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Places near Wash Common
What else we do in Wash Common
Space, weather and the venue
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we offer
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
Why choose paella catering in Wash Common?
Paella is one of the few dishes that handles mixed diets easily, thanks to separate pans for each version. Nobody gets a token ‘special meal’.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Wash Common:
- Company summer parties
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Summer garden parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Historic houses near Wash Common include Benham Park (2.4 miles north-west) and Shaw House (2.8 miles north-east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Comparing caterers
- VAT, if it applies
- The venue requirements
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How late numbers can change
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Request clear labels at the serving table
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Count adults and children separately
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 and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book 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 affects the price in Wash Common
These are the factors that matter most:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Guest numbers
- How long we’re needed on site
- The paellas you choose
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Your date and when you want to eat
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
Questions from Wash Common
Is Wash Common close to London?
About 55 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Could we have live paella in Sandleford Priory?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
When should we book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Ask about your date even if it is soon.
What does paella catering cost?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas for a clear quote.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
Which paellas do you recommend?
That depends on who’s coming. A chicken or mixed paella is typically the most popular, alongside seafood and vegetable or vegan pans.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
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.
What happens on the day
Service is quick: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. In Wash Common, 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.
- You get a menu and an itemised quote.
- We agree timings, access and the cooking spot.
- We cook live on the day while guests watch.
- It’s served straight from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
Ask for a quote
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Planning help
About the dishes
Seafood paella
A rich seafood stock with prawns, mussels and squid, finished with lemon wedges. It is the pan people photograph.
Paella Valenciana
Valencians take their paella seriously. The traditional pan has chicken, flat green beans and butter beans.
Wash Common: venues, travel and local tips
Wash Common is about 2 miles south-west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. Anywhere in RG14, we’ll come to your venue or garden. Wash Common is one of 155 places in West Berkshire we cover. We cook right across the region, from Wash Common to Reading (17 miles away).
Thinking of a picnic-style party in Sandleford Priory? Public parks normally need permission from the council or landowner for cooking, so check first. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Falkland Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Wherever your event is in RG14 and RG20, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. From Battle Road, Stuart Road and Warren Road or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. Other places close to Wash Common for paella catering include Wash Water (1 mile south-west), Enborne Row (1 mile south-west), Skinners Green (1 mile north-west), Newtown Common (1 mile south-east) and Sandleford (1 mile east). Further out, we also cater in Thatcham (4 miles north-east), Burghfield Common (12 miles east), Hungerford (8 miles west), Calcot (14 miles east), Lambourn (12 miles north-west) and Shaw (3 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include British Balloon Museum & Library Ltd (2 miles north-east) and Hamstead Marshall 2 (2.7 miles north-west). Not far away are Sidown Hill and Audrey's Meadow.
- Local schools include Park House School (within half a mile north-east) and Horris Hill School (0.9 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Gun pub (0.5 miles north-east)
- 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