Chelmsford £2m steak restaurant Chop Bloc now expected in early 2015

A new £2m steak and burger restaurant named Chop Bloc is now set to open mid-January 2015 in Chelmsford, Essex.

Initially announced in The Caterer in July, with an expected opening date of November this year, the 6,500 sq ft site is spread over three floors and will have capacity for 270, including a 75-capacity bar and space for 40 people outside.

Head chef will be Antonio Alexander Lopez Rocha - from ex-Gaucho Grill and trained by Bruno Loubet - with a menu centred on nine main cuts of steak, sliced to order.

Meat will be dry-aged on site, and the group will also produce its own burgers, specially created using a ‘smash' burger technique to ensure a crispy crust on the outside and juicy meat on the inside.

A former Northern Chef of the Year (1999), Benson-Smith was a former judge of BBC TV show MasterChef when it was presented by Loyd Grossman, and also runs the Food Consultancy with his wife Alison.

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