Chief's in Nashville has BBQ smokers removed due to permitting issue

The barbecue meat smokers on the roof of Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ at Eric Church's Chief's honky-tonk on Broadway, have been removed because they did not obtain a permit for rooftop barbecuing.

The Tennessean, which published feature stories about the new Broadway BBQ restaurant this week , learned on Thursday that Nashville Fire Marshal Office inspectors discovered the restaurant was operating meat smokers without the proper permits on July 23, according to Nashville Fire Department Community Services Officer Kendra Loney.

The restaurant, which smokes 15 to 18 hogs per week in a round-the-clock operation, used the rooftop deck of the restaurant, branded "Hell of a Q." Food is also cooked in kitchens on the 5th and 6th floors of Chief's and the restaurant remains open and operating as usual, according to representatives. The kitchen is using smokers inside the restaurant to execute the menu.

Nashville Fire Department responded to a fire alarm call when smoke from the barbecue equipment filled the enclosed bar area on the roof and the stairwell on July 23, Loney said. The smokers were located in the outdoor area of the rooftop restaurant, but the smoke was flowing through an upper stairwell door.

Loney said the restaurant had all the necessary permits and inspections completed when it opened in May, along with the rest of Chief's, but that the pit-barbecue smokers were not included or approved for use on the roof. Fire Marshall Office staff followed up with staff at Rodney Scott's with information about how to obtain proper permits and necessary inspections to smoke meats on the roof.

Representatives of Chief's and Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ declined to comment on the removal of the smokers from the roof.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Chief's in Nashville has BBQ smokers removed due to permitting issue