Maple & Ash Swaps Chefs Less Than a Month After Opening

Maple & Ash had a two-year lead up before opening late last month, with chef David Ochs on board from the beginning and heading up a number of pop-ups promoting the Gold Coast steakhouse's arrival. But Ochs quietly departed at the end of October, leaving Maple & Ash Management chef/partner Danny Grant (Ria, Balsan) taking full control of the kitchen in his wake, according to the restaurant. Grant, who was last seen helping open Dolce Italian earlier this year, has no plans to change the current menu.

Neither the restaurant or Ochs said a lot about the reasons behind the switch. For his part, Ochs describes the parting as amicable, saying "it was a labor of love and I am happy (to have seen) the doors open." He is now "pursuing a few different outlets" that include "helping some of my friends in the industry open some exciting new projects this fall." Stay tuned for where Ochs ends up and if Maple & Ash stays the course with its menu, centered around that wood-burning grill.