Hampshire · England
Paella party catering in Ashley, Hampshire
We cook paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events in Ashley and nearby, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Baby celebrations
- Retirement and leaving parties
Planning an event in Ashley?
Paella party catering in Ashley, cooked live
Nothing gets a party going like the smell of paella cooking. Guests gather round, glass in hand, to watch. Popular choices include seafood paella, vegetable paella and chicken and chorizo paella, and typical bookings are for milestone birthdays and retirement and leaving parties.
Around Ashley, a garden and a gazebo is all you need. A paella pan fits right in. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Questions from Ashley
Do you cater in the New Forest National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Which station should guests use for Ashley?
New Milton station, about 0.7 miles south-west of the centre.
Do you take everything away?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Can you cater for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan for them.
Can you cater a party at a village hall?
Generally. We need somewhere outside or well ventilated to cook, and the venue’s permission.
Can you supply plates?
On request. Proper crockery or good-quality disposables can be added.
Does it make plenty of smoke?
There’s a cooking smell, but much less smoke than a barbecue, and it’s a good smell. A friendly note to the neighbours helps.
How many different paellas?
Two or three is usual: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We’ll help you decide the split.
Nearby places to Ashley
More for events in Ashley
Why choose live paella in Ashley?
If you want special but not formal, live paella is hard to beat. Larger events generally cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why Ashley hosts choose us
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Fast service from the pan
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
See Our prices page And The cost guide.
Planners, venues and businesses
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Party venues around Ashley
Ashley is about 4 miles west of Lymington, in Hampshire. We cook at parties in gardens, halls and venues around Ashley. Ashley is one of 683 places in Hampshire we cover. Our events stretch from Ashley to Southampton (about 15 miles away).
Historic houses near Ashley include Highcliffe Castle (3.5 miles south-west). Grand settings like these frequently have strict catering rules, so for most parties a garden or hired hall is simpler. If guests are coming by rail, the nearest station is New Milton station, about 0.7 miles south-west. The New Forest National Park is within about 5 miles of Ashley, so a garden party here comes with a lovely backdrop. The coast is within about 5 miles, so seafood paella often features.
This part of Hampshire takes in BH25 and SO41, and we can cater your party anywhere in it. Whether your party is on Franklin Road, Miller Close and Manor Road or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. Nearby, we also cater parties in New Milton (1 mile south-west), Hordle (1 mile east), Bashley (1 mile north-west), Tiptoe (1 mile north-east) and Barton on Sea (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Totton (12 miles north-east), Lymington (4 miles east), Hythe (13 miles north-east), Ringwood (8 miles north-west), Dibden Purlieu (12 miles north-east) and Marchwood (12 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum (1.4 miles west) and Lymington New Forest Hospital (4.3 miles east). The countryside around Ashley includes Milford on Sea LNR.
- Schools near Ashley include Ballard School (0.7 miles west) and The Arnewood School (1.1 miles south-west)
- Local pubs include The Plough Public House (0.9 miles north)
Before you choose a spot
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Send a photo of the garden so we can check
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Menu ideas
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Tapas
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Churros
Diets, allergies and planning
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:
- Arrange a gazebo in case of rain
- Put out bins for general waste and recycling
- Ensure most people can sit to eat
- Keep children and pets away from the burners
We arrive before your guests to set up.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges round off the meal.
What happens on the day
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. Sunset in Ashley is about 8:55pm in late May and 9:25pm in late June. After dark, the cooking area needs good lighting.
- You tell us the date, address, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a menu suggestion and a clear price.
- We arrive, set up in your garden or venue and start the sofrito.
- Your guests watch the paella cook, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- We serve it hot from the pan, then pack down.
How to prepare
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Plan cover in case of rain
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Why choose paella party catering in Ashley?
It is generous and sociable, perfect for celebrations where people want to mingle.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Ashley book us for events such as:
- Big birthdays
- Garden get-togethers
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Family reunions
After a christening at a church like St. Peter's Church, a paella lunch is an easy way to feed family and friends.
What to look for in a quote
- Allergen information for each dish
- Travel and parking costs
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
The menu, dish by dish
Tapas
A few tapas set the scene.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich stock, for the fish lovers.
- 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