Problem Description

“Shanghai Soup Dumplings” is a restaurant chain specializing in Suzhou-style soup dumplings and traditional Chinese pastries. During the preparation for its new location, the kitchen faced a common challenge typical of Chinese steam-cooking kitchens: extensive steaming processes in an enclosed space generate high concentrations of steam, accompanied by cooking fumes from frying and other cooking methods. This not only resulted in poor visibility and operational difficulties for staff but also caused walls and equipment to become damp and moldy over time, shortening their service life. More seriously, water droplets formed by condensed steam could contaminate exposed buns or ingredients, posing food safety risks. Furthermore, as the new location was situated in a prime downtown commercial district without access to external exhaust ducts, traditional exhaust systems were impractical, creating an urgent need for an innovative solution capable of efficiently handling both cooking fumes and steam.

Solution

To ensure a safe, compliant, and efficient kitchen environment for the new store, “Shanghai Tangbao” opted to install MORK ductless recirculating direct-vent hoods prior to opening. This equipment utilizes condensation technology to condense the emitted steam. This recirculating hood requires no external ductwork and does not necessitate the expansion of existing exhaust systems. The condenser employs air conditioning condensation to effectively lower the air temperature at the hood’s exhaust outlet, ensuring balanced indoor temperatures.

To address steam issues, the MORK system is equipped with a high-efficiency condensation recovery module that condenses water vapor into liquid water and discharges it directly into a collection container via a drain valve. This effectively prevents condensation from dripping onto food or work surfaces, ensuring food safety and hygiene. The unit features a suspended design that requires no external ductwork, significantly saving installation space and engineering costs, making it ideal for smoke-free environments such as shopping malls.

Additionally, the equipment integrates multiple advanced technologies:

High-efficiency air recovery system: Featuring no fewer than 8 purification stages (dynamically optimized based on cooktop configuration), it comprehensively treats cooking fumes, particulates, and moisture;

Backward-curved centrifugal fan: Designed with an aluminum-magnesium alloy impeller, it delivers approximately 30% higher air pressure than traditional fans while reducing operating noise by 15–25%;

Smart Energy-Saving Configuration: Equipped with LED downlights that save 84% in energy consumption, along with a smart touchscreen for convenient power on/off operations, enhancing usability and a high-tech feel.

Thanks to this system, “Shanghai Tangbao” successfully passed environmental inspections, opened quickly, and created a healthier, fresher kitchen and dining environment for both staff and customers.

About MORK

MORK understands the challenges of limited kitchen ventilation and is specifically designed for electric cooking appliances, offering a comprehensive ductless cooking solution that enables foodservice operators to open restaurants without traditional ventilation systems. Its ductless recirculation technology eliminates the reliance on building structures for traditional exhaust systems, making it ideal for foodservice concepts with stringent steam management requirements, such as soup dumplings, dim sum, congee shops, xiaolongbao, and pan-fried dumplings. By integrating multi-stage purification, heat recovery, and low-noise fans, MORK helps quality- and efficiency-focused restaurant brands—such as “Shanghai Soup Dumplings”—achieve green, compliant, and efficient kitchen operations even in ductless environments, making it the top choice for clients and partners.