Renowned Doylestown Chef Moving Headquarters To Princeton

Bucks County's Max Hansen is opening a 25,000 square foot, $7 million, world-class farmhouse catering venue in Princeton, N.J., the chef of 25 years announced on Wednesday.

The new venue will be used for private functions, meetings, conferences, seminars and other corporate and nonprofit events. It will also become the new culinary base for his entire operation, which includes Max & Me Catering, Max Hansen Caterer and the Max Hansen Carversville Grocery. His current base of operations is in Doylestown.

The venue, to be located on Carter Road, will be designed by renowned architects at Studio Hillier. It will accommodate more than 300 guests inside as well as on an elevated deck overlooking a pond, and on a manicured lawn adjacent to the pond. Reclaimed and repurposed wood will be used for the building design. Hand-stacking stones will be used for a fireplace that will be visible from both the inside and the outside.

Hansen said he plans to use local fruits, vegetables, cheeses and other fresh foods from neighboring Cherry Grove Farms, Terhune Orchards and Blue Moon Acres.

Acccording to his bio, Hansen grew up in Bucks County, and attended Vassar College and the New England Culinary Institute. He learned under the tutelage of chef Thomas Keller and culinary titan Michel Rostang in Manhattan.

Hansen returned to his roots in 1998 to launch his catering business. He has since cooked for First Lady Michelle Obama, former Presidents George W. Bush, George Herbert Walker Bush and Bill Clinton, and at the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.

The attached image was posted on Max Hansen's Facebook page.