Chapel Chophouse & Bar has opened in Stony Stratford following the transformation of the historic former Calcutta Brasserie site into a new restaurant and bar.
More than 300 invited guests attended the Chapel Chophouse & Bar launch on September 17, marking the completion of the project first announced earlier this year.
The restaurant occupies a 17th-century former chapel and has been redesigned to include a raised bar, booth seating, restaurant areas and space for live entertainment.
Joint owner Leigh Strathearn said: “It’s been an unbelievable journey to get to this point. There has been an incredible amount of hard work behind the scenes and seeing more than 300 people here enjoying Chapel on Thursday night made every bit of it worthwhile.
“There are so many people we need to thank. The team behind the build have worked extremely hard to deliver what we had in our heads when we first took on the building, and we’re hugely grateful to them. We also want to thank our new neighbours for their kindness and toleration for the noise and disruption.
“Finally, thank you to everyone who came along on Thursday and supported us. The reaction has been incredible. Chapel is a very special building and we wanted to create something that Stony Stratford and Milton Keynes could be proud of. Thursday night felt like the start of something really exciting.”
The launch was attended by guests including Mayor of Milton Keynes Paul Trendall and Olympic badminton medallist Gail Emms. Entertainment included a string quartet, DJ and fire performers.
Chapel Chophouse & Bar replaces Calcutta Brasserie, which closed earlier this year. Plans for the new restaurant were announced in May, with the owners setting out proposals to retain the character of the former chapel while introducing a new interior and dining concept.
Its chophouse menu focuses on British dry-aged steaks alongside a wider selection of dishes. The business plans to expand its offering over the coming weeks with dedicated lunch and children’s menus and Sunday roasts.
The restaurant has also confirmed plans to open on Christmas Day.
Leigh added: “Opening night was a huge milestone for us, but it really is just the beginning. We’ve got lots more planned and we want Chapel to become somewhere people can visit for all sorts of occasions, whether that’s lunch, dinner, Sunday roast, drinks at the bar, a celebration or Christmas Day with the family.
“The response so far has been fantastic and now we’re excited to welcome everyone through the doors.”
