Former Fritzl’s Chef to Join UES Mediterranean Mainstay Amali

The chef behind the shuttered Bushwick critical darling Fritzl’s has found a new home. Dan Ross-Leutwyler, who was known for stellar American comfort food at the restaurant, is now the executive chef at Amali (115 E. 60th St.), a Mediterranean restaurant that’s been a solid choice on the Upper East Side for years.

Ross-Leutwyler has been in the kitchen for a few months and has been slowly phasing in more shareable small plates featuring lighter food to the menu. He’s collaborating with chef Dominic Rice, a Jean-Georges and Narcissa alum who is now the corporate chef overseeing Amali, Amali Mou, Sopra, and The Bar Room.

It’s exciting news for fans of Ross-Leutwyler, who previously suggested he might not return to a restaurant kitchen. The chef closed his Bushwick restaurant Fritzl’s last summer after more than three years in the neighborhood. It was a critical favorite for a small but charming menu of American food and a unique burger; when he closed it, he said he wasn’t sure he would stay in the difficult world of restaurant kitchens due to long hours and physical tolls.

Amali has been a reliable dining option in the neighborhood since it opened in 2011. Besides its menu of Mediterranean food, the stylish restaurant has been a destination for fans of Greek wines. It’s quite different from Fritzl’s.

Eater has reached out to Ross-Leutwyler for updates on why he changed his mind and what his version of Amali will look like. Stay tuned for updates.