Sound-absorbing ceiling tiles, carpeting, table linens, and upholstered chairs and banquettes reduce noise in a restaurant. Placing the tables several feet from the line also helps. Ventilation systems, which suck as much as 8,000 cubic feet of air per minute, evacuate the moisture, odors, smoke, and other cooking effluent. In addition, natural gas combustion emits noxious gases, and cooking accidents can flood a room with smoke and odors. All these must be vented.
Ventilation is custom designed for each space.
As a rule, a canopy over the range is more efficient at evacuating smoke and steam than a downdraft, though the latter allows a better view of the kitchen. A downdraft system must be about 20 percent stronger than a hood because it must capture the hot air and pull it down, instead of allowing it to rise, according to the laws of physics. He designed the kitchens for Le Cirque 2000 in New York City and Aureole in Las Vegas. Stech-Novak does his own initial ballpark figures on the ventilation system but relies on the calculations of a manufacturer. Specifying these systems correctly also avoids drafts blowing on the staff or the diners, which can make the restaurant uncomfortable and cool the food.