Southampton · England
Paella Party Catering in Itchen
Paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events in Itchen: 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
- Baby celebrations
- Big family gatherings
Live paella party catering in Itchen
How we price paella party catering
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- How long we are needed on site
- How many guests are eating
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Getting an accurate quote
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- The date and rough timings
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The courses you’d like
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
To get a price, use our quote form. Give us the details of your party, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Paella party catering in Itchen, cooked live
Homes, gardens, clubs and hired venues all work in and around Itchen. Popular choices include mixed paella, churros and vegetable paella, and we’re frequently booked for retirement and leaving parties and big family gatherings.
In a place like Itchen, a garden party is typically the easiest option. Tell us about access and parking, and we’ll bring everything else. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and service is quick once it’s ready.
- Area
- Itchen (SO19, SO14)
- County
- Southampton
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Organising for someone else?
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Events in public spaces, like parks, normally need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Have enough chairs for most guests
- Collect dietary needs with your invites
- Warn the neighbours
- Keep a clear zone around the cooking area
After service, we pack down, leaving you to carry on celebrating.
Plates, cutlery and waiting staff can be added.
Itchen parties: what to know
Itchen is about 2 miles south-east of Southampton, in Southampton. Whether your party is in the middle of Itchen or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cook in all 40 towns and villages across Southampton.
Thinking of a party in Houndwell Park? Cooking in a public park usually needs permission from the council or landowner, so check first. If guests are coming by rail, Woolston station is in Itchen itself. The New Forest National Park is within about 7 miles of Itchen, so a garden party here comes with a lovely backdrop. The coast is within about 2 miles, so seafood paella frequently features, with shelter from the breeze planned in.
Anywhere in SO19 and SO14, we can cook for your guests. We can cater a party on streets such as Sea Road, Oak Road and West Road. You will find Itchen on the A3025, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. If your venue is just outside Itchen, we also cover Peartree Green (1 mile north-west), Northam (1 mile north-west), Sholing (1 mile east), Bitterne (1 mile north-east) and St Mary's (1 mile west). Larger places within reach include Shirley (3 miles north-west), Regents Park (3 miles west), Maybush (4 miles north-west), Coxford (4 miles north-west), Freemantle (3 miles west) and Lordswood (4 miles north-west). Being one of Southampton’s larger places, Itchen has lots of places to hold a party.
Other landmarks nearby include Bitterne Local History Society Heritage And Research Centre (0.9 miles north) and Marlands Shopping Centre (1.6 miles west). The countryside around Itchen includes Netley Common.
- Schools near Itchen include Woolston School (less than half a mile south) and Oasis Academy Sholing (0.6 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Engineers Arms (1 mile north-west)
Why live cooking beats a buffet
For a party that feels a little special without being formal, live paella is hard to beat. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Why book with us
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Occasions we cook for in Itchen
It works whatever the occasion, from a first birthday to a ruby wedding.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Garden get-togethers
- Wakes and celebrations of life
- Christenings and naming days
- Birthday parties
Nearby historic houses include Medieval Merchant's House (1.5 miles west) and Southampton Tudor House and Garden (1.5 miles west). If you’re hiring a historic venue for a big birthday, check its rules on outside caterers first.
Questions to ask before booking
- When payment is due
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- How each diet is kept separate
- What the price includes, item by item
How it works
Your timings come first. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is served at its best. At midsummer, it’s light in Itchen until about 9:25pm, 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.
- You tell us the date, address, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest a menu and confirm a quote.
- On the day we arrive, set up our cooking area and start 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
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Leave space around the cooking area
Ask for a quote
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Before you choose a spot
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- Send a photo of the garden so we can check
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Menu ideas
- Churros
- Tapas
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegetable paella
- Seafood paella
Questions from Itchen
Can you cook at venues in the New Forest National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
How far is Itchen from London?
About 69 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Of course. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
How far ahead should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes. Children often love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
How many paellas should we have?
Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. We’ll recommend a mix based on diets.
Do you cook at halls and clubs?
Generally, if there’s outdoor space to cook. Ask the venue about live cooking.
Do you do desserts?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
What’s in the pans
Vegetable paella
Vegetable paella in its own right, with peppers, beans and artichokes.
Tapas
Patatas bravas, tortilla, croquetas and olives while the paella cooks.
Towns and villages near Itchen
What else we do in Itchen
- 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