Wokingham · England
Paella Party Catering for The Holt events
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events in The Holt.
- Garden get-togethers
- Christenings and naming days
- Big family gatherings
Planning an event in The Holt?
About our paella party catering in The Holt
Tapas first, churros after and sangria throughout, and the whole menu is sorted. Typical bookings include family reunions and wakes and celebrations of life, serving tapas, seafood paella and chicken and chorizo paella.
Near The Holt, parties are frequently in gardens or fields. Tell us about lanes and parking, and we’ll handle the rest. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Planners, venues and businesses
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Paella compared with other options
Hog roasts do not suit vegetarians and vegans. Separate paella pans cover everyone. Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Why The Holt hosts choose us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
See Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
About the dishes
Seafood paella
A seafood pan with prawns and mussels, for the fish lovers.
Chicken & chorizo paella
Chicken and chorizo is a crowd-pleaser, though it is not traditional in Valencia.
Perfect for your party in The Holt
One big dish beats lots of fiddly ones.
Here are some of the events we cook for:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Street parties and neighbourhood get-togethers
- Christenings and naming days
- Wakes and celebrations of life
If guests are coming by rail, Wargrave station is about 1.7 miles away.
Questions to ask before booking
- The deadline for final numbers
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- How each diet is kept separate
- Space, access and power needs
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Try these:
- Give separate numbers for children
- Keep children and pets away from the burners
- Add a diet question to the invitation
- Have enough chairs for most guests
The cooking area stays tidy and safe, with a clear space around the burners.
Tapas to start keep hunger at bay.
The Holt parties: what to know
The Holt is about 4 miles north-east of Woodley, in Wokingham. From the centre of The Holt to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cater in all 35 towns and villages across Wokingham. Our events stretch from The Holt to Reading (7 miles away).
Historic houses near The Holt include Harleyford Manor (3.9 miles north) and Greenlands (4.8 miles north-west). Grand settings like these frequently have strict catering rules, so for most parties a garden or hired hall is simpler.
Anywhere in RG10, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. We can cater a party on streets such as Blakes Lane and Bath Road. We also cook at parties in Kiln Green (1 mile east), Hare Hatch (1 mile south-west), Ruscombe (2 miles south-west), Waltham St Lawrence (2 miles south-east) and Twyford (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Reading (7 miles south-west), Wokingham (6 miles south), Woodley (4 miles south-west), Earley (6 miles south-west), Crowthorne (9 miles south) and Lower Earley (6 miles south-west).
Nearby you’ll also find Frazer Nash Archives (3.2 miles north-west) and St Mark's Hospital (4.4 miles north-east). Not far away are Weycock Hill and Hurley Chalk Pit.
- Schools near The Holt include Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School (1.6 miles south-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Queen Victoria pub (under half a mile south-east)
FAQs for The Holt
How far is The Holt from London?
Roughly 32 miles from the centre of London.
Is The Holt 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.
Do you cater for young children?
Yes. Children frequently love a simple chicken paella. Tell us how many are coming.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas for a clear quote.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Will it be noisy or smoky?
There is a cooking smell, but much less smoke than a barbecue, and it is a good smell. A friendly note to the neighbours helps.
Planning the cooking area
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we offer
- Churros
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- Tapas
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
How it works
The cooking is part of the entertainment. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring while your guests chat. For a late-May party in The Holt, sunset is around 8:55pm; at midsummer it’s about 9:25pm. If the party runs past dark, we’ll need light where we cook and serve.
- Tell us when and where, and how many.
- You get a menu and a quote.
- We arrive before your guests and set up.
- Guests watch the paella cook.
- We serve from the pan and pack down.
Before we arrive
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Getting a price
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Also near The Holt
More for events in The Holt
- 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