Smoke clears over a popular NYC restaurant and its neighbors
In October 2011, Mas (la grillade) opened in New York City with the goal of elevating hardwood grilling to a culinary art using fire and smoke. Located in Lower Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, “the grill” aimed to build upon the success of its sister restaurant and predecessor, Mas (farmhouse), and rely exclusively on hardwoods as its primary cooking fuel. While the new restaurant quickly distinguished itself as one of New York City’s top new restaurants, its immediate neighbors were left dealing with the culinary by-product of solid fuel cooking: wood smoke. Frustrated neighbors had become so distraught from the smoke and grease emissions that they even threatened legal action to shut down the restaurant if the situation was not remedied. The restaurant owner was in dire need of an effective solution before his neighbors’ goodwill ran out.