In an effort to expand its catering presence in South Florida, Coconut Grove-based Bill Hansen Catering & Event Production acquired Eten Catering, a full-service catering and event company based in Fort Lauderdale. The merger not only brings two South Florida food and events brands together under one umbrella but also adds a new level of service to Hansen’s 41-year platform as an events vendor in the region. 

The acquisition will expand the Hansen brand’s presence to an even larger market, specifically on large-scale yachts in South Florida, thus allowing the company’s services to span both land and sea.

Hansen and Eten will now collaborate under one roof at Hansen’s 8,000-square-foot Commissary Kitchen in Opa Locka, Fla., while Eten Catering will continue to operate as its own entity. Both brands will utilize the commissary’s fleet of temperature-controlled vans to offer residential and corporate delivery services for catering throughout South Florida. 

“Eten Catering brings exceptional food and service to event attendees throughout the region,” said Bill Hansen, CEO of Bill Hansen Catering & Event Production. “This partnership will allow us…to expand our scope of service to South Florida’s pristine waters through Eten’s established reputation with yacht parties and events in the market, offering global flair, service and top-quality food.” 

Eten Catering was founded in 2010 by European owners Allison Morgan and Belgium native Dirk De Cuyper, who brings a passion for cooking that reflects his extensive culinary training in Classical French and nouvelle cuisine and pastry. During his career, De Cuyper worked in Michelin-star restaurants throughout Belgium. 

Bringing history, tradition, influence and style to each event that it caters, along with a strong focus on exceptional food, the Eten brand has serviced a number of events on large-scale yachts in South Florida, including 10 years at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show. 

While both brands will continue to operate as usual, servicing event venues from Palm Beach to the Florida Keys, the culinary components at both companies will receive modern touches, including new menus for home delivery services. Bill Hansen Catering & Event Production’s menus will continue to be created and curated by corporate executive chef Dewey Losasso, known for his innovative, custom-crafted farm-to-fork menus and who was selected by The Miami Herald as one of the “Florida Food Fifty.”

Since its inception, Bill Hansen Catering & Event Production has served four U.S. Presidents, Pope John Paul II, Bill Gates, top professional athletes, singers, hundreds of Fortune 500 firms and more than 5,000 wedding couples. 

“Bill Hansen Catering has been in the area for over 40 years, and the brand is ingrained in the industry throughout the region,” Morgan said. “We look forward to collaborating with the team at Bill Hansen Catering to create more opportunities for group functions in South Florida.” 

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