Oxfordshire · England
Live paella catering in Whitchurch-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event turns food into part of your event in Whitchurch-on-Thames.
- Garden get-togethers
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
Paella catering near Whitchurch-on-Thames
Working with your venue
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
How our paella catering works in Whitchurch-on-Thames
Paella was made for feeding a crowd: cooked outdoors in a wide, shallow pan and shared. That is exactly what we bring to your event in Whitchurch-on-Thames. We’re frequently asked to cater fairs, fêtes and festivals and family celebrations and christenings, serving chicken and chorizo paella, mixed paella and vegetable paella.
Somewhere as small as Whitchurch-on-Thames, a garden or field is frequently the venue. Country lanes and long drives are no problem if we know about them, and cooking close to where we can park helps. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Area
- Whitchurch-on-Thames (RG8)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
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. Around midsummer it stays light in Whitchurch-on-Thames until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote, including what’s included.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- 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.
Getting ready for the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Ask for a quote
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Whitchurch-on-Thames, and we will put together a menu and price.
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What’s in the pans
Paella Valenciana
The original paella from Valencia is a countryside dish of chicken and vegetables, not seafood. It is a favourite with guests who do not eat fish.
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together.
Perfect for your event in Whitchurch-on-Thames
Paella is quick to serve and suits mixed diets, which is why it works for so many occasions. It gives people something to gather round, too.
In Whitchurch-on-Thames and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Birthday celebrations
- Summer garden parties
- Company summer parties
- Anniversary celebrations
For a christening or wedding at a church such as Church of St Mary, a paella lunch or reception nearby is an easy way to feed everyone.
Before booking anyone
- The venue requirements
- Payment terms and deposit
- If the price includes VAT
- How each diet is kept separate
What paella catering costs
There is nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- Whether you need crockery
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Guest numbers
- The paellas you choose
Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We will send you a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Expected numbers
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Where the event is
Send us the date, your venue or RG8 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Whitchurch-on-Thames questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
What’s the nearest station to Whitchurch-on-Thames for guests?
Pangbourne station, about 0.5 miles south-west of the centre.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is typically popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
Do you come to Whitchurch-on-Thames?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and Whitchurch-on-Thames is within our area and the rest of Oxfordshire. For a quote, use our quote form.
How many different paellas?
Normally two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
What do you need at the venue?
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 live paella good for a large crowd?
Very much so. We plan the number of pans and serving points around your numbers.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Whitchurch-on-Thames: venues, travel and local tips
Whitchurch-on-Thames is about 5 miles west of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. Anywhere in RG8, we will come to your venue or garden. Whitchurch-on-Thames is one of 443 places in Oxfordshire where we cook.
For guests coming by train, Pangbourne station is about 0.5 miles away. Historic houses near Whitchurch-on-Thames include Basildon Park (1.7 miles west) and Mapledurham House (2.1 miles east). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early. The North Wessex Downs National Landscape is within about 7 miles of Whitchurch-on-Thames, a lovely setting for an outdoor event. Some venues in protected landscapes have rules about vehicles and cooking, so check with yours.
We cook at events all over RG8 and the streets around it. Local streets include High Street, Swanston Field and Hardwick Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Pangbourne (1 mile south), Tidmarsh (1 mile south), Sulham (2 miles south), Purley on Thames (2 miles south-east) and Mapledurham (2 miles east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Didcot (11 miles north-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (15 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (8 miles east), Benson (9 miles north), Tilehurst (3 miles south-east) and Wallingford (8 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include Battle Hospital (4.4 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Hartslock and Hosehill Lake.
- Nearby schools include Denefield School (1.8 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Greyhound pub (less than half a mile south-west)
Also near Whitchurch-on-Thames
What else we do in Whitchurch-on-Thames
Catering for every guest
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Put allergy details in writing
- Plan a meat, a seafood and a vegetable or vegan pan
- Have seats for most of your guests
- Tell us what else is being served
On the day, you shouldn’t have to think about the food. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana finish the meal.
Where we can cook in Whitchurch-on-Thames
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Somewhere close to park and unload
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Vegetable paella
Why live cooking beats a buffet
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. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Larger events generally cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why us?
- Events in Whitchurch-on-Thames and across Oxfordshire
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
See Our prices page Or The cost guide.
- 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