West Berkshire · England
Paella party catering in Hermitage, West Berkshire
Paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events in Hermitage: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Celebrations of life
- Birthday parties
- Naming days and christenings
Paella party catering for Hermitage events
Should I cook it myself?
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
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 for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
About our paella party catering in Hermitage
Tapas first, churros after and sangria throughout, and the whole menu is sorted. On the menu are mixed paella, vegetable paella and tapas, and typical bookings are for retirement celebrations and anniversaries and engagement parties.
In a small place like Hermitage, a party in the garden or a nearby field is often the plan. Tell us about lanes and parking, and we’ll plan the set-up. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Location
- Hermitage (RG18)
- Area hub
- West Berkshire
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Who books paella party catering in Hermitage?
It works whatever the occasion, from christenings to retirements.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Hermitage, people book us for occasions like:
- Engagement and anniversary parties
- Big family gatherings
- Retirement celebrations
- Milestone birthdays
Historic houses near Hermitage include Shaw House (3.4 miles south-west). Grand settings like these frequently have strict catering rules, so for most parties a garden or hired hall is simpler.
What to look for in a quote
- How long the team stays
- A clear list of what’s included
- The wet-weather plan
- When payment is due
What else we do in Hermitage
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
- Give separate numbers for children
- Plan seats for most guests
- Put out bins for general waste and recycling
After service, we pack down, leaving you to carry on celebrating.
We can bring plates, cutlery and staff.
Hermitage questions
Which station should guests use for Hermitage?
Newbury Racecourse station, about 4 miles south of the centre.
Is Hermitage too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Will the neighbours notice?
Paella is cooked over gas, so there is cooking steam and smell but little smoke. Neighbours may well want an invitation.
Can you supply plates?
We can. Tell us what you need and we’ll include it in the quote.
Do you do desserts?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
Can you cater for children?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
How long do you need on site?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
What do you need at the venue?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
A closer look at the menu
Vegetable paella
A proper vegetable paella, not an afterthought, with peppers, beans and artichokes.
Tapas
Tapas keep guests going.
Before you choose a spot
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Somewhere close to park and unload
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
On the menu in Hermitage
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Churros
- Tapas
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Seafood paella
Party venues around Hermitage
Hermitage is about 4 miles north of Thatcham, in West Berkshire. For a party in Hermitage, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Hermitage is one of 155 places in West Berkshire we cover. We cook right across the region, from Hermitage to Reading (about 13 miles away).
If guests are coming by rail, Newbury Racecourse station is about 4 miles away. After a christening at a church like Holy Trinity, a paella lunch is an easy way to feed family and friends. Hermitage is within about 6 miles of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, so a garden party here comes with a lovely backdrop.
Here we cover the RG18 postcode area. From Newbury Road, Lipscomb Close and Marlston Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. If your venue is just outside Hermitage, we also cover Longlane (1 mile south-west), Little Hungerford (1 mile north-east), Oare (1 mile north), Wellhouse (1 mile east) and Curridge (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cater in Newbury (4 miles south-west), Thatcham (4 miles south), Burghfield Common (10 miles east), Speenhamland (4 miles south-west), Hungerford (11 miles west) and Spencers Wood (14 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Hampstead Norris Castle (2.4 miles north-east) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (3.3 miles south). The countryside around Hermitage includes Snelsmore Common.
- Local pubs include The White Horse pub (under half a mile west)
Planners, venues and businesses
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
How we price paella party catering
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Your choice of paellas
- Travel, parking and access
- Guest numbers
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and rough timings
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: give us the basics about your party, and we will suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: use our quote form.
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’s served hot from the pan at the agreed time. For a late-May party in Hermitage, 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.
- It starts with your date, address, numbers and any diets.
- You get a menu suggestion and a clear price.
- On the day we arrive, set up our cooking area and start cooking.
- Guests gather round as it cooks, nibbling tapas if you’ve booked them.
- It is served from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Ask for a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Related guides
- 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