Southampton · England
Paella Party Catering in Freemantle
Treat your guests to live paella at your party in Freemantle. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Wakes and celebrations of life
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
- Big family gatherings
Paella party catering near Freemantle
Paella party catering in Freemantle, cooked live
The smell of paella cooking is the best party invitation. People drift over with a drink to watch it cook. Typical bookings include family reunions and baby celebrations, with chicken and chorizo paella, mixed paella and vegetable paella.
Parties around Freemantle are often relaxed, garden-and-gazebo affairs. A paella pan fits right in. We serve straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
- Location
- Freemantle (SO15, SO16, SO17)
- County
- Southampton
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Organising for someone else?
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
Organising a club, school or community event in Freemantle? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
Party venues around Freemantle
Freemantle is about 1 mile west of Southampton, in Southampton. Parties in Freemantle are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Freemantle is one of 40 places in Southampton where we cook.
Historic houses near Freemantle include Southampton Tudor House and Garden (1.2 miles south-east) and Medieval Merchant's House (1.3 miles south-east). If you are hiring a historic venue for a big birthday, check its rules on outside caterers first. If guests are coming by rail, Freemantle has its own station, Millbrook (Hants) station. The New Forest National Park is within about 7 miles of Freemantle, so many gardens around here have a great outlook. Near the coast, within about 2 miles, seafood paella is a natural choice, with shelter from the breeze planned in.
We cater parties across the SO15, SO16 and SO17 postcode area. Local streets include May Road, Park Road and Pitt Road; a party at home on any of them works well with live paella. With the A33 close by, Freemantle is simple for us to get to. We also cook at parties in Shirley (1 mile north), Regents Park (1 mile north-west), Millbrook (1 mile west), Maybush (2 miles north-west) and Coxford (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Townhill Park (3 miles north-east), Midanbury (3 miles east), Thornhill (4 miles east), Chartwell Green (4 miles east), Harefield (4 miles east) and Itchen (3 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Western Community Hospital (1.3 miles north-west) and Foresters Museum & Archive (under half a mile east). The countryside around Freemantle includes Testwood Lakes.
- Nearby schools include St Anne's Catholic School (0.9 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include The Brass Monkey pub (0.5 miles north)
Before you choose a spot
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- A quick photo of the spot helps us plan
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
On the menu in Freemantle
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Churros
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Tapas
What happens on the day
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. The smell normally draws people over. A summer party in Freemantle stays light until about 9:25pm at midsummer, so a garden party can run well into the 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.
- In goes the rice, and guests gather.
- It is served hot, and we clear away afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Name one person we can ask on the day
Getting a price
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: give us the basics about your party, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: use our quote form.
Planning help
How we price paella party catering
Each event is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Parking and unloading
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The number of people
- Whether you need crockery
Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- The date and rough timings
- Anything your venue supplies
- A picture of the space, if you can
Send us the date, your venue or SO15 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
FAQs for Freemantle
Could we have live paella in Blechynden Terrace Park?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Do you cater in the New Forest National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Can you cater at a hired venue?
Typically. We need somewhere outside or well ventilated to cook, and the venue’s permission.
Do you bring plates and cutlery?
If you need them. Crockery or disposables are available.
How early should we book?
The sooner the better, but it’s always worth asking. Send your date and we will check.
Can you do a kids’ option?
Paella is popular with children, especially a mild chicken one. Tell us how many and their ages.
What happens if it rains?
We cook under cover, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We will agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Paella compared with other options
Hog roasts do not suit vegetarians and vegans. Separate paella pans cover everyone. The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why us?
- A clear, itemised quote
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Events in Freemantle and across Southampton
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Tell us how many children are coming
- Keep children and pets away from the burners
- Let the neighbours know
- Collect dietary needs with your invites
At food time, we serve straight from the pan, while you enjoy your guests.
Add bread, salad and lemon.
Why choose paella party catering in Freemantle?
It is the easiest way to feed a party without being stuck in the kitchen, and it is a talking point.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Freemantle book us for occasions like:
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Birthday parties
- Street and neighbourhood parties
- Summer garden parties
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 you book anyone
- Staff numbers and hours
- What the price includes, item by item
- If the price includes VAT
- Space, access and power needs
What’s in the pans
Seafood paella
The seafood pan is often the showpiece.
Churros
Fried, sugared and dipped in chocolate, a sweet finish.
Towns and villages near Freemantle
More for events in Freemantle
- 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