Partnership Mission

EcoChef is the world's first electric kitchen certification program. Its goal is to bring sustainability to the forefront of kitchen design by creating comprehensive standards for restaurant and commercial kitchens. Partnering with the EPA's Energy Star program, the kitchen electrification experts at Forward Dining Solutions created the EcoChef rating system to further their commitment to reducing the carbon emissions and other pollutants created by kitchens.

Grit City is proud to present the very first EcoChef certified homes.

Induction Cooking

We firmly believe that induction is the future of both commercial and residential cooking and we're confident that once you experience the difference you will agree. Induction outperforms gas and traditional electric cooktops in every metric—from performance, to efficiency, to air quality.

Induction appliances use an electromagnetic current to oscillate molecules in the pan, creating friction and therefore heat. This means that only the pan heats up, leaving a much safer cooking surface when not in use. It also means that the pan heats to temperature almost instantly, increasing thermal efficiency and precision, as well as reducing cooking time—water, for example, boils as much as 50% faster.

The advantages are numerous. Electrification leads to cleaner air in your home, avoiding the health drawbacks of burning natural gas indoors. Higher heat-transfer efficiency keeps your kitchen relatively cooler while cooking. The smooth cooking surface makes for easy cleanup. All backed by the excellence and innovation of the Thermador brand.

Additional Standards

To complement your induction range, we have also outfitted the home with a high-powered range hood. Using it while cooking will help to exhaust smoke, steam, airborne grease, and unwanted cooking odors to the outside of the home. We have also integrated a fresh air intake into the HVAC system which activates automatically when the range hood is in use, bringing in "make-up" air, and allowing it to reach full suction power.

Choosing induction cooking also allowed us to fully electrify the home, eliminate the gas utility altogether for your convenience, and install a greener Heat Pump HVAC system. Other sustainable elements ensure that all kitchen functions meet the EcoChef standard, including Energy Star Certified appliances and an upgraded Heat Pump water heater, which can save you as much as 75% on yearly hot water energy costs.

For more information about EcoChef, visit ecochef.org