Hampshire · England
Paella Party Catering in Forestside
Bring the theatre of live paella to your party in Forestside. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Summer garden parties
- Neighbourhood celebrations
- Naming days and christenings
Paella party catering near Forestside
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Paella party catering in Forestside, cooked live
Live paella suits birthdays, anniversaries, christenings and summer parties. The pans become the focal point, and the food is served hot and generous. Whether it is anniversary celebrations and wakes and memorial gatherings, we’ll put together a menu of tapas, churros and seafood paella and more.
A country party near Forestside is perfect for paella: cooked outside, served from the pan. Have a gazebo ready in case of rain. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Keep children and pets away from the burners
- Plan a covered spot for wet weather
- Put out bins for general waste and recycling
- Count adults and children separately
If you’ve booked staff, they’ll help serve and clear.
Churros and chocolate go down well with all ages.
What’s in the pans
Chicken & chorizo paella
Smoky, satisfying and popular with children, ideal for guests who skip seafood.
Vegetable paella
A proper vegetable paella, not an afterthought.
Forestside parties: what to know
Forestside is about 4 miles east of Horndean, in Hampshire. For a party in Forestside, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Forestside. We cover 683 places across Hampshire. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 21 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Rowlands Castle station, about 2.2 miles south-west. Parks such as Stansted Park usually need permission for cooking, so a garden or hired venue is frequently easier. Forestside is within about 5 miles of the South Downs National Park, so many gardens around here have a great outlook.
This part of Hampshire takes in PO9, and we can cater your party anywhere in it. Streets in the area include Lodge Lane and Forestside, and we can cook for a party on any of them. If your venue is just outside Forestside, we also cover West Marden (1 mile north-east), Chalton (3 miles north-west), Blendworth (3 miles west), Buriton (5 miles north) and Nursted (5 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Gosport (13 miles south-west), Havant (5 miles south-west), Fareham (13 miles west), Horndean (4 miles west), Waterlooville (6 miles west) and Petersfield (7 miles north).
Nearby you will also find Clanfield Earthwork (4 miles north-west) and Havant War Memorial Hospital (5 miles south-west). Not far away are Compton Down and Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve.
Events we cater in Forestside
It is generous and sociable, perfect for celebrations where people want to mingle.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Forestside, live paella can be the centrepiece. We frequently cook for:
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Wakes and memorial gatherings
- Baby celebrations
- Big birthdays
Christenings and naming days often start at a local church such as Christ Church, with a paella lunch at home or in a hall afterwards.
Before booking anyone
- The venue requirements
- Who provides the crockery
- Staff numbers and hours
- A clear list of what’s included
Forestside: your questions answered
What’s the nearest station to Forestside for guests?
The closest is Rowlands Castle station, roughly 2.2 miles away.
We are having a ceremony at Christ Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
How many different paellas?
Normally two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Do you cover Forestside?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and Forestside is within our area. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
What areas do you cover?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Forestside.
Can you cook halal paella?
Yes, on request. Let us know your halal numbers, and it is cooked separately.
When should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Towns and villages near Forestside
Also in Forestside
Why live cooking beats a buffet
If you want special but not formal, live paella is hard to beat. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why choose Love Paella in Forestside
- A quote that spells everything out
- Drinks service on request
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Read Our prices page And The cost guide.
Step by step
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. The smell generally draws people over. At midsummer, it’s light in Forestside until about 9:20pm, which gives a garden party a long evening. By late September sunset is around 7:05pm, so plan festoon lights for later parties.
- You tell us the date, address, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a quote.
- On the day, we set up and get cooking.
- The paella cooks while your guests chat, with any tapas served first.
- We serve from the pan and clear our cooking area away when we are done.
Getting ready for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
How to get a price
Thinking about paella party catering for your party in Forestside? Send us the details and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. Just fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Planners, venues and businesses
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
If you are organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Prices and what affects them
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- Whether you need crockery
- Distance and access to the venue
- How long we are needed on site
- Guest numbers
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Getting an accurate quote
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The date and time of the event
- A picture of the space, if you can
- The venue or postcode
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
- 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