This is a general overview for restaurant owners and designers, not legal advice. Confirm requirements for your site with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and your engineer.
What changed
In May 2015, New York City amended its Air Pollution Control Code to address solid-fuel cooking. The amendment added rules for “cook stoves” and char broilers, and a 2016 update empowered the DEP to require reductions in particulate matter emissions from sources including restaurants and pizzerias that burn wood or other solid fuel.
What counts as a “cook stove”
The code defines a cook stove as:
any wood fired or anthracite coal fired appliance used primarily for cooking food for onsite consumption at a food service establishment.
That covers wood- and coal-fired pizza ovens, smokers and grills in restaurants. The rules distinguish new appliances (installed on or after the law’s effective date) from existing ones. See our 2015 article for the code text.
What it means for your kitchen
If you operate or plan a wood- or coal-fired cooking appliance in New York City, expect to need emission control on its exhaust. Smoki® units are designed for exactly this:
- Smoke Zapper for ovens and smokers on a direct chimney — compact enough for tight urban spaces.
- Maxi Grill for grills and broilers under a Type I hood.
At Marta on Park Avenue, the NYC DEP surveyed the restaurant after a Smoke Zapper 300 and a Maxi Grill 500 S were installed, found the emissions no longer posed a nuisance, and closed the complaint case. More background in our 2023 article on NYC enforcement.
Next step
Contact us with your appliance and address. We work with NYC restaurant owners, engineers and contractors on compliant designs.
Still have questions? Call (844) 467 6654 or send us a message.