Abstract: An apparatus for cooking using wood pellets comprising: a direct cooking zone; an indirect cooking zone separated from the direct cooking zone by a divider; and a wood pellet burner positioned in the direct cooking zone such that food items in the direct cooking zone will be positioned above the burner. The cooking apparatus has a combustion flow path such that combustion gas from the burner will flow upwardly in the direct cooking zone, then over the divider, and then downwardly into the indirect cooking zone. The downward flow of combustion gas into the indirect cooking zone provides a top down cooking mode for food products placed therein.