Hampshire · England
Live paella catering in Wherwell, Hampshire
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event in Wherwell and the surrounding area.
- Family celebrations and christenings
- Garden get-togethers
- Festivals, fairs and school events
Paella catering in Wherwell
Paella catering in Wherwell, cooked live
Paella is generous food: big pans, bright colours and a crispy base everyone wants a spoonful of. It makes the food an event in itself. We are often asked to cater wedding breakfasts and evening food and engagement and anniversary parties, serving seafood paella, vegetable paella and vegan paella.
Somewhere as small as Wherwell, 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. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
What affects the price in Wherwell
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- The number of people
- Your choice of paellas
- Travel, parking and access
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- The address or venue name
- The date and time of the event
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can send us your details through our quote form.
Occasions we cook for in Wherwell
Outdoor events and live paella go together: cooked outside, served hot and shared.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Retirement celebrations
- Christenings and family gatherings
- Company summer parties
Parks such as Longstock Park generally need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there.
What to look for in a quote
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How long the team stays
- The wet-weather plan
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
What’s in the pans
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It is the pan people photograph.
Black rice
Arroz negro is coloured and flavoured with squid ink, traditionally with alioli. It makes a dramatic second seafood pan.
Before you choose a spot
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
What we offer
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegan paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. 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 enjoy the party, let us cook.
Catering an event in Wherwell
Wherwell is about 3 miles south-east of Andover, in Hampshire. For an event in Wherwell, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. We cover 683 places in Hampshire. Our events stretch from Wherwell to Southampton (17 miles away).
If you’re celebrating after a service at a church like Church of St Peter and Holy Cross, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well. For guests coming by train, Andover station is about 3.7 miles away.
We cover events in every part of SP11. Whether your event is on High Street, Fair Piece and Beech Grove or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. Nearby, we also cater events in Wherwell Wood (1 mile north-west), Cottonworth (1 mile south-west), Chilbolton (1 mile south), Fullerton (1 mile south-west) and South Harewood (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Winchester (9 miles south-east), Eastleigh (14 miles south), Andover (3 miles north-west), Chandler's Ford (13 miles south), Romsey (12 miles south) and Hyde (9 miles south-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Andover Museum (3.3 miles north-west) and Andover War Memorial Hospital (4 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Mill Lake and Anton Lakes.
- Pubs nearby include White Lion Public House (within half a mile south-west)
Why choose live paella in Wherwell?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and the food sits out. Paella is cooked in front of your guests and served hot. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What you get with us
- A quote that spells everything out
- Drinks service on request
- We cover Wherwell and the whole of Hampshire
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
Take a look at Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
What happens on the day
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and it’s served hot from the pan at the agreed time. Planning an evening event in Wherwell? 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.
- First, you send us your date, venue, numbers and diets.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day, we set up the burners and pans and get the stock going.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with any tapas served first.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
How to prepare
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Leave space around the cooking area
Get a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you’re ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Common questions in Wherwell
Can you cook in Longstock Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Is Wherwell close to London?
About 63 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
What if the weather’s bad?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We’ll agree a wet-weather plan with you.
How does live paella catering work?
We arrive with pans, burners and ingredients, cook while everyone watches, and serve when you are ready to eat.
Is the paella gluten-free?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Which paellas do you recommend?
Two or three is usual: chicken or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. Our menu lists the options.
Nearby places to Wherwell
More for events in Wherwell
For planners, venues and organisers
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
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.
- 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