Dennis McDermott Out of American Beech in Greenport

GREENPORT, NY - Dennis McDermott is no longer associated with American Beech, the popular new restaurant in Greenport he helped to launch.

American Beech owner Brent Pelton confirmed the news to Patch Tuesday and said that McDermott, who operated the eatery, was no longer with the restaurant.

"We decided to go in a little bit of a different direction and focus on great hospitality and terrific food," Pelton said.

McDermott, who was well known in Greenport as the owner of the Frisky Oyster, left to open The Riverhead Project, which later closed in 2014.

American Beech now has a new general manager, Iris Welcome, Pelton said.

"We're very excited for the 2016 season," Pelton said. "Our hotel rooms are booking up for most weekends. We're planning to expand the hotel and we're excited about the restaurant. We'll continue to focus on local produce and local, seasonal food."

McDermott did not respond to a request for comment.