Business plans to hold benefit events during that time
The Burnt Norton, 45 E. Northampton St., Wilkes-Barre.
Times Leader file photo
The Burnt Norton will close for two weeks and reopen May 6 in an effort to revamp its menu due to cooking restrictions following a code dispute with the city.
The restaurant announced on its Facebook page Thursday that “due to all of the recent set-backs” it will close on April 20 and reopen May 6, with two benefit events hosted during that time.
The Burnt Norton: Himbos & Bimbos “All Up Under Her Hood” drag show event brought to you by Oliver Twist, will be held Friday, April 24, and 80’s Murder Mystery by Mickey will be held Sunday, April 26.
“Throughout this period we will be focusing on re-inventing The Burnt Norton into something that can once again bring communities, friends and families together,” the restaurant wrote.
In the meantime, The Burnt Norton is working toward purchasing a hood vent so it can resume cooking its full menu. It is accepting donations through Venmo.
Without the hood vent, Wilkes-Barre code enforcement said The Burnt Norton is unable to use its flat-top griddle, severely limiting the kind of food it can serve.
An anonymous donor who came forward last week and said they would fund the $15,000 hoodvent was not credible.
Owner Dez Sabecky made a plea to Wilkes-Barre City Council at its April 9 meeting, asking for a grace period from the city until she can figure out how to pay for the proper hood.
At the meeting, the owner claimed her restaurant was initially inspected in June 2024 by both the health department and code enforcement and approved for opening, with the same appliances and without any hood vents.
She said she purchased a ventless hood a few months after opening, at the fire department’s suggestion.
Wilkes-Barre building code official Dan Kratz said the flat-top griddle was not present during the original inspection. Kratz said it requires a type one hood with a suppression system, which is required under the state’s uniform construction code.
He said that if he had been contacted by The Burnt Norton before they purchased the ventless hood, he would have told them it wouldn’t be approved.
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