Matt Murphy takes over as executive chef at the Ram’s Head Inn

Matt Murphy, who starred at the departed Antares Cafe in Greenport, is the new executive chef at the Ram’s Head Inn in Shelter Island Heights.

Murphy, 56, had been the top chef at the Centerport Yacht Club and the Melrose Hotel in Washington, D.C., in recent years. He also manned the kitchen at La Colombe d’Or in Manhattan, and earned a two-star rating in 2000 when he opened Antares Cafe, a restaurant that contributed to the growth of fine dining on the North Fork.

The Inn has been a dining destination for decades, known for its country style and waterview site. It offers alfresco dining as well as indoor.

Murphy said he plans to continue the inn’s focus on local ingredients. Currently they include “fluke, black sea bass, dayboat scallops, and oysters.’ He added, “I just planted the garden.”

The dinner price range on the menu is $12 to $16 for appetizers; $28 to $38, for main courses. The restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner as of June 15, and also offers Sunday brunch.

The Ram’s Head Inn, 108 S. Ram Island Dr., Shelter Island Heights, 631-749-0811, theramsheadinn.com