Angelo Jenaro Lutz, sometimes referred to by the nickname "Fat Ange", is a professional chef. He has appeared on several cooking programs and owns and operates an Italian-American restaurant in Collingswood, NJ. He is known by the moniker the "Kitchen Consigliere" due to his prior involvement with the Philadelphia mob scene in the 1990s that led to his conviction in 2001 as part of a broad investigation into illegal activities in the tri-state area.
Angelo Lutz grew up in South Philadelphia graduating St. John Neumann High and subsequently working as a caterer and pasta salesman. He also worked as a card dealer in Atlantic City. During that time, he had a gambling problem, later stating that any business venture he attempted "I screwed it up from gambling." [1]
Lutz frequented a social club at Sixth and Catharine Streets in South Philadelphia that was the headquarters for reputed mob boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino's organization in the mid-1990s, frequently bringing food such as pork chops cooked with baked beans and peppers, a dish that he later said Merlino particularly enjoyed. [1] In November 1995, he played Santa Claus at Joey Merlino's Thanksgiving dinner party for the homeless, earning him the local nickname "Mob Santa." [2]
In 2000, Angelo was one of seven defendants, including Merlino, named in a 36-count case that includes charges of murder, attempted murder, gambling, extortion, dealing in stolen property, and drug trafficking. He was the only defendant free on bail, appeared on television, radio and newspaper interviews, including a local sports talk radio morning show with a daily "Mob Update." Testifying in his own defense in July 2001, his testimony was laced with humorous banter that many of the spectators in the packed courtroom found funny. [1]
In December 2001, he was convicted on racketeering, gambling and extortion charges. Although he was the only non-made defendant, he received the same sentence as two co-defendants who were formally initiated members of the mob, and more time than two other made members of the organization. U.S. District Judge Herbert Hutton sentenced him to nine years in prison, the maximum permitted under sentencing guidelines. [3] The sentence was later reduced by almost a year on appeal.
The night before he entered prison, Lutz cooked for his own going-away party. Reporting the event, Fox 29 reporter Jen Frederick referred to Lutz as "the kitchen consigliere." [4] [5]
After serving nearly seven years in federal prison for racketeering, Lutz was released in 2008. In 2010 he opened a small Mafia-themed restaurant in Collingswood, NJ called The Kitchen Consigliere, serving traditional Italian-American dishes inspired by his grandmother's cooking. It was very successful, serving 1,600 dinners a month and turning away 80 to 100 potential patrons weekly because of its limited seating. [6] The success of the venue led to plans to expand in 2012. However, when Lutz applied for a conventional loan, he found his past convictions made it extremely difficult and he was turned down by several banks. [7] [8] He turned to private investors, and held a successful Indiegogo campaign, raising over $34,000 for renovations for a larger restaurant three times the size of his first location, with sconces shaped like nine-millimeter handguns and a mural featuring him with famous gangsters such as Don Corleone and Tony Soprano. [9]
In December, 2014 he appeared in the episode "Sabotage is Coming to Town" of "Cutthroat Kitchen," on the Food Network. The same month, he appeared on QVC to sell foods inspired from his restaurant. [10]
The Gambino crime family is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia. The group, which went through five bosses between 1910 and 1957, is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963, when the structure of organized crime first gained public attention. The group's operations extend from New York and the eastern seaboard to California. Its illicit activities include labor and construction racketeering, gambling, loansharking, extortion, money laundering, prostitution, fraud, hijacking, and fencing.
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Nicodemo Domenico Scarfo Sr. also known as "Little Nicky", was an American mobster who served as boss of the Philadelphia crime family from 1981 to 1990. Infamously known for his murderous reputation, Scarfo led the family through its bloodiest period until his conviction in 1988.
Philip Charles Testa, also known as "The Chicken Man", was an Italian-American mobster known for his brief leadership of the Philadelphia crime family of the Italian-American Mafia. He became boss of the Philadelphia crime family after the previous boss and his close friend, Angelo Bruno, was murdered by Bruno’s own consigliere, Antonio Caponigro, who, in turn, was ordered killed by The Commission for murdering a boss without permission.
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The Patriarca crime family, also known as the New England Mafia, the Boston Mafia, the Providence Mafia or the Office, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family operating in New England. The family consists of two distinct factions, one based in Providence, Rhode Island, and the other in Boston, Massachusetts. The Patriarca family is primarily active in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, with other territory throughout New England.
Lawrence Dentico, also known as "Larry Fab", "Little Larry" and "The Little Guy", is a New Jersey-based member of the Genovese crime family, who formerly served as a captain and the family's consigliere.
Joseph Salvatore "Skinny Joey" Merlino is an American former mobster who was the reputed boss of the Philadelphia crime family from the 1990s until 2024. He rose to power and seized control of the organization in the mid-nineties after he fought against the John Stanfa faction of the family. He has led the crime family in gambling, loan sharking, drug trafficking, and extortion. In comparison to other traditional mob bosses who shunned the limelight, Merlino has interacted regularly with the media and the public, often openly providing charity and hosting events to benefit indigent people in Philadelphia, drawing comparisons to the similarly outgoing, conspicuous, and ostensibly charitable late New York crime boss John Gotti. He is the son of deceased Philadelphia crime family underboss Chuckie Merlino.
Nicodemo Salvatore "Nicky" Scarfo Jr., sometimes known by the nicknames "Junior", "Nick Promo", and "Mr. Apple" is an American mobster and a member of the Lucchese crime family. Scarfo Jr. is the son of former Philadelphia crime family boss Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo Sr.
Nicholas Angelo "Nicky Mouth" Santora was the reputed underboss of the Bonanno crime family.
The Philadelphia crime family, also known as the Bruno–Scarfo crime family, the Philadelphia–Atlantic City crime family, the Philadelphia Mafia, the Philly Mafia, or the Philadelphia–South Jersey Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed and based in South Philadelphia, the criminal organization primarily operates in Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia metropolitan area, including South Jersey. The family is notorious for its violence, its succession of violent bosses, and multiple mob wars.
Joseph Anthony "Uncle Joe" Ligambi is an American mobster and former acting boss of the Philadelphia crime family. Ligambi is known among law enforcement circles to have a more "old school" approach, in sharp contrast to boss Joseph Merlino's, flamboyant, high-profile style. Ligambi was credited by the Philadelphia Police Department's Criminal Intelligence Unit with "quietly bringing stability back to the troubled Philadelphia-South Jersey branch of the American Mafia" during the 2000s. The New York Mafia families were pleased with Ligambi and his approach, as well as his ability to turn the Philadelphia crime family back into a stable group.
Giovanni "John" Stanfa is an Italian-born American former boss of the Philadelphia crime family from 1990 to 1995. Convicted of multiple charges in 1995, Stanfa was sentenced to life in prison.
Martin "Marty" Taccetta is an imprisoned New Jersey mobster who was the alleged boss of the Jersey Crew, a powerful faction of the Lucchese crime family.
The Genovese crime family's New Jersey faction is a group of Italian-American mobsters within the Genovese crime family who control organized crime activities within the state of New Jersey. The New Jersey faction is divided into multiple crews each led by a different caporegime who oversees illegal criminal activities in labor racketeering, illegal gambling, loansharking and extortion. The Genovese crime family's New Jersey faction has maintained a strong presence in the Northern Jersey area since the early prohibition era. A number of powerful mobsters within the New Jersey faction such as Guarino "Willie" Moretti, Gerardo "Jerry" Catena and Louis "Bobby" Manna have each held positions within the Genovese family's administration. From the 1990s until his death in 2010, Tino "the Greek" Fiumara was one of the most powerful caporegimes in the New Jersey faction.
The Bonanno crime family is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City as part of the criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia.
Ralph Samuel Natale was an American mobster. He was the boss of the Philadelphia crime family from 1995 until 1999, when he became the first American Mafia boss to turn state's evidence. Natale helped sentence Joey Merlino to a 14-year sentence in 2001, but in January 2005, was also sentenced for racketeering, receiving a 13-year sentence. He was released in May 2011 and entered the witness protection program.
Salvatore Joseph "Chuckie" Merlino was an American mobster who was a member of the Philadelphia crime family. He served as underboss for Nicodemo Scarfo from 1981 to 1986.
Steven Mazzone is an American mobster and underboss of the Philadelphia crime family. After the family was decimated by prosecutions during the Nicodemo Scarfo and John Stanfa eras, Ralph Natale was released from prison in 1994. It was at this time Mazzone became a major organized crime figure in Philadelphia.
The 10th & Oregon Crew, also known as the 10th & O Crew, the 10th & Oregon Gang or the 10th & O Gang, is a predominantly Italian-American organized crime gang operating in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Active since the 1960s, the gang is associated closely with but independent from the Italian-American Philadelphia crime family. The 10th & Oregon Crew is primarily active in South Philadelphia and certain working-class Italian-American neighborhoods in nearby South Jersey.
