The Coach House opened in 1985 during the most severe economic turndown in modern Oklahoma history. Chris Lower had sold his legendary Roosevelt Grill in Edmond the year before and was looking at his options for pursuing his passion for operating a fine dining restaurant. Against a chorus of nay-sayers who felt that The Coach House building was too small, that Oklahoma City couldn't support a world-class restaurant and a litany of other discouragements, Chris pressed ahead with his plans to bring the city's finest restaurant to the city's finest neighborhood. In November of 1985 The Coach House opened its doors in Nichols Hills and began the long, slow journey to success. The early years were a struggle, but the arrival in 1988 of Chef Kurt Fleischfresser took The Coach House to a new level of quality and consistency. Over the years, The Coach House has evolved to become the restaurant it is today.
For years the Coach House has had a very successful Guest Chef program, bringing in great chefs from around the country to create dinners for our patrons. Among those who have cooked at The Coach House are Jacques Pepin (twice), Stephan Pyles (three times), Roland Passot (twice), Rick Bayless, Jean-Louis Palladin, Hubert Keller, Hugh Carpenter, Bernard Cretier, Deborah Madison along with many other great chefs. These dinners not only benefit our patrons who get to enjoy many different chefs' talents, but also serve as a kind of "master class" for our own chefs who refine their techniques and get to network with professional chefs in other parts of the country.
The Coach House also operates its kitchen in a very unique way. Every chef in the kitchen signs on for a two-and-a-half year apprenticeship, during which time they learn the fundamentals of fine cooking by working every station in the kitchen in a pre-defined curriculum. At the end of their apprenticeship they plan and produce a "Graduation Dinner" for 60 of our loyal customers, who have come to look forward to this rite-of-passage every six months. Just like for our Guest Chef dinners, we select wines to accompany each course to create a spectacular dining event. The apprentices then go on to work for other chefs around the country (many of whom they have met as Guest Chefs) or some go to work in one of the other Restaurant Row kitchens. There is usually a one to two year waiting list of apprenticeship applicants.
In 1997, The Coach House expanded to create a small private dining room that seats up to 20 guests. Called the Wine Room, it also holds the temperature controlled wine storage for the restaurant. This room has proved very popular for both business and personal special events, and is available for both lunch and dinner bookings.
Over the years, The Coach House has played host to some of the most significant events in the life of Oklahoma City and has enhanced its reputation every step of the way through a single-minded commitment to quality. The Coach House looks forward to staying in the center of the city's social life for generations to come.