Reading · England
Paella Party Catering in Fords Farm
Paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events in Fords Farm: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Wakes and celebrations of life
Live paella party catering in Fords Farm
About our paella party catering in Fords Farm
Paella is relaxed food: it is served from the pan and shared, so nobody needs a formal seating plan. On the menu are mixed paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella, and we are regularly asked to cater milestone birthdays and wakes and memorial gatherings.
For a party in Fords Farm, your garden is often the best venue. Tell us about access and parking, and we will do the rest. Timings are planned around your event, whether that’s speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
Where we can cook in Fords Farm
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
What we offer
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Churros
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Tapas
- Vegetable paella
What happens on the day
A typical event goes like this: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan when you’re ready to eat. For a late-May party in Fords Farm, 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.
- We check your date and the space.
- You pick paellas, tapas and desserts.
- The burners go on and the sofrito starts.
- The rice goes in and your guests gather round.
- It is served hot, and we clear away afterwards.
How to prepare
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Get a quote
It’s easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Read more
Nearby places to Fords Farm
Other catering in Fords Farm
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Give the neighbours a heads-up
- Make sure children stay back from the pans
- Count adults and children separately
- Ask guests about diets when you invite them
We’re set up before guests arrive, so the cooking is under way as people arrive.
Plates, cutlery and waiting staff can be added.
FAQs for Fords Farm
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Matthew's?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
What’s the nearest station to Fords Farm for guests?
Reading Green Park station, about 1.4 miles south-east of the centre.
Will the neighbours notice?
Gas cooking means steam and a good smell, not much smoke. The smell is typically the best advert for the party.
Can you supply plates?
If you need them, yes. Proper crockery or quality disposables can be added to your booking.
What does paella party catering cost?
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. Tell us your date and numbers for a clear quote.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
How much space do you need?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Dishes our guests love
Seafood paella
The seafood pan is often the showpiece, and is best served with lemon.
Churros
Sugary churros with chocolate.
Why choose paella party catering in Fords Farm?
It’s the easiest way to feed a party without being stuck in the kitchen, and it’s a talking point.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Naming days and christenings
- Milestone birthdays
- Neighbourhood celebrations
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
For guests coming by train, Reading Green Park station is about 1.4 miles away.
Before booking anyone
- What the price includes, item by item
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- How each diet is kept separate
- Whether VAT is included
Party venues around Fords Farm
Fords Farm is about 2 miles west of Reading, in Reading. For paella party catering in Fords Farm, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Fords Farm. Fords Farm is one of 34 towns and villages in Reading where we cook.
Parks such as Calcot Park normally need permission for cooking, so a garden or hired venue is frequently easier. Historic houses near Fords Farm include Mapledurham House (3.1 miles north). Grand settings like these often have strict catering rules, so for most parties a garden or hired hall is simpler.
We cater parties across RG30 and RG31. Local streets include Low Lane, Mill Lane and Bath Road; a party at home on any of them works well with live paella. Nearby, we also cater parties in Horncastle (1 mile north), Southcote (1 mile east), Burghfield Bridge (1 mile south), Beansheaf Farm (1 mile west) and Calcot (1 mile west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Caversham (4 miles north-east), Shinfield (4 miles south-east), Arborfield Garrison (7 miles south-east), Caversham Heights (3 miles north-east), Whitley Wood (3 miles south-east) and Sonning Common (6 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Battle Hospital (1.7 miles north-east) and Beaumys Castle (4.8 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Fobney Island Wetland Reserve and South Lake.
- Nearby schools include Prospect School (0.5 miles north-east) and Elvian School (1.1 miles east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Cunning Man pub (0.6 miles south)
For planners, venues and organisers
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
Live paella or other catering?
Cooking yourself saves money but costs you the party. Book us and you’re free to enjoy it. 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.
Why us?
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Sangria and bar staff available
Read How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
- 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