Isle of Wight · England
Paella Party Catering in Forest Side
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events turns food into part of your party in Forest Side.
- Birthday parties
- Neighbourhood celebrations
- Garden parties and summer barbecues
Paella party catering in Forest Side
Paella party catering in Forest Side, cooked live
Homes, gardens, clubs and hired venues all work in and around Forest Side. Typical bookings include retirement and leaving parties and summer garden parties, serving seafood paella, chicken and chorizo paella and mixed paella.
Country parties near Forest Side suit live paella: cooked in the open and served hot. Have a gazebo ready in case of rain. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- Forest Side (PO30)
- Region
- Isle of Wight
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Put out bins for general waste and recycling
- Add a diet question to the invitation
- Warn the neighbours
- Keep children and pets away from the burners
The cooking area stays tidy and safe, with a clear space around the burners.
Add bread, salad and lemon.
How we price paella party catering
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many courses
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
- Whether you need crockery
Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Getting an accurate quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- The date and rough timings
- Where the event is
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Before you choose a spot
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
Forest Side is a more remote spot, so tell us early and we’ll plan the journey.
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Vegetable paella
- Churros
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Tapas
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
Paella compared with other options
Cooking yourself saves money but costs you the party. Book us and you’re free to enjoy it. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
Why us?
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- A clear, itemised quote
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
Places near Forest Side
Other catering in Forest Side
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 is served hot from the pan when you are ready to eat. At midsummer, it’s light in Forest Side until about 9:20pm, which gives a garden party a long evening. By late September sunset is around 7:10pm, so plan festoon lights for later parties.
- First, we check the 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’s served hot, and we clear away afterwards.
How to prepare
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Get a quote
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, use our quote form.
Planning help
DIY paella versus live catering
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
The menu, dish by dish
Seafood paella
The seafood pan is often the showpiece.
Vegetable paella
Vegetarians get a real main course.
Planning a party in Forest Side
Forest Side is about 1 mile north-west of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. Wherever your party is in the PO30 area, we will come to your venue or garden. Forest Side is one of 125 towns and villages in the Isle of Wight where we cook. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 15 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Carisbrooke Castle (1.3 miles south) and Swainston Manor (2.7 miles south-west). Grand settings like these frequently have strict catering rules, so for most parties a garden or hired hall is simpler. Christenings and naming days often start at a local church such as St. Mary's Church, with a paella lunch at home or in a hall afterwards. Near the coast, within about 4 miles, seafood paella is a natural choice, and we always plan for wind.
Paella party catering in PO30 is planned around your venue. We can cater a party on streets such as Forest Road and Gunville Road or the roads around them. We also cook at parties in Hunny Hill (1 mile east), Parkhurst (1 mile north-east), Noke Common (1 mile north-east), Porchfield (2 miles north-west) and Locksgreen (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Ryde (7 miles east), Cowes (4 miles north), Sandown (8 miles south-east), Shanklin (8 miles south-east), Ventnor (9 miles south-east) and East Cowes (4 miles north-east). For a party at a remote venue, let us know early and we will plan the trip.
Other landmarks nearby include Carisbrooke Castle (1.3 miles south) and St Mary's Hospital (1 mile east). Open spaces near Forest Side include Mill Hill and Briddlesford Nature Reserve.
- Local schools include Hunnyhill Primary School (0.7 miles east) and Island Innovation VI Form Campus (1.3 miles south-east)
For event organisers in Forest Side
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Forest Side questions
Can you cater a reception after a service at St. Mary's Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
What about events near the coast?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Do you come to Forest Side?
We do. We cook at events in Forest Side and across the Isle of Wight. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
When should I book?
The sooner the better, but it’s always worth asking. We’ll check availability straight away.
Do you do starters?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
- 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