Hampshire · England
Paella party catering in Blackwater, Hampshire
Bring the theatre of live paella to your party in Blackwater. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Family reunions
- Anniversary celebrations
- Baby celebrations
Planning an event in Blackwater?
Blackwater questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Barnabas Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Could we have live paella in Sandhurst Memorial Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Do you provide drinks?
Yes, sangria. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
What space do you need to cook?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Is my garden big enough?
Generally, yes, if there is a flat, open spot away from fences and branches. Send us a photo of the space.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Paella party catering for your party in Blackwater
You get to enjoy your own party: no shopping, no cooking, no hours at the stove. We take care of the food. Whether it’s celebrations of life and big birthdays, we’ll put together a menu of seafood paella, vegetable paella and chicken and chorizo paella and more.
In a place like Blackwater, a garden party is generally the easiest option. Tell us about access and parking, and we’ll do the rest. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan.
DIY paella versus live catering
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Why choose live paella in Blackwater?
A hog roast is great for meat lovers, but harder for vegetarians and vegans. Separate paella pans cover everyone. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Why book with us
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- A quote that spells everything out
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Read Our prices page And The cost guide.
What paella party catering costs
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Your choice of paellas
- The length of service
- How many staff you need
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The courses you’d like
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The date and time of the event
Planning paella party catering in Blackwater? Send us the details and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just use our quote form.
Party venues around Blackwater
Blackwater is about 1 mile south of Sandhurst, in Hampshire. Across the GU17 area, we will come to your venue or garden. Blackwater is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire we cover. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 11 miles away.
Thinking of a party in Sandhurst Memorial Park? Cooking in a public park generally needs permission from the council or landowner, so check first. After a christening at a church like St Barnabas Church, a paella lunch is an easy way to feed family and friends.
Wherever your party is in GU17, we can bring paella party catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Streets in the area include London Road, Bell Lane and Ash Close, and we can cook for a party on any of them. Close by, we cover parties in Frogmore (1 mile west), Hawley (1 mile south-east), College Town (1 mile north-east), Sandhurst (1 mile north) and York Town (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover Basingstoke (14 miles west), Farnborough (3 miles south), Fleet (5 miles south-west), Aldershot (6 miles south), Alton (15 miles south-west) and Tadley (15 miles west).
Nearby you’ll also find Frimley Park Hospital (2.4 miles south-east) and Staff College Museum (1.9 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Horseshoe Lake and Ball Hill.
- Nearby schools include Frogmore Community College (0.8 miles west)
- Local pubs include Mr Bumble pub (0.6 miles south-east)
- Other local spots include Royal Military Academy Library (1.2 miles north-east)
What else we do in Blackwater
Working with your venue
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Hosting a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
How the day works
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. For a late-May party in Blackwater, sunset is around 8:55pm; at midsummer it is about 9:25pm. If the party runs past dark, we will need light where we cook and serve.
- Tell us when and where, and how many.
- You get a menu and a quote.
- We set up before guests arrive.
- The paella cooks while your guests chat.
- We serve from the pan and pack down.
How to prepare
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Get a quote
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Read more
Where we can cook in Blackwater
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Menu ideas
- Churros
- Vegetable paella
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Tapas
Diets, allergies and planning
With a little notice, every diet is easy. Our advice:
- Collect dietary needs with your invites
- Make sure children stay back from the pans
- Have enough chairs for most guests
- Tell us how many children are coming
When service is finished, we pack down quietly, leaving you to carry on celebrating.
Tapas and nibbles while the paella cooks keep hunger at bay.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable paella
Vegetarians get a real main course, and meat eaters often try it too.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Chicken and chorizo is a crowd-pleaser, though it isn’t traditional in Valencia.
- 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