What Is Sous Vide? The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Precision Cooking

In the high-pressure world of professional kitchens, precision, consistency, and innovation are the qualities of a great chef. To meet these demands, sous-vide cooking has emerged as a game-changing French slow cooking method that redefines the way food is prepared.

What is Sous Vide Cooking?

Sous vide is a precision cooking technique which achieves professional level results.

Sous vide, the French term for "under-vacuum," is a method of precision cooking in which food is vacuum-sealed, then submerged in a water bath at a specifically regulated temperature and gently cooked.

The French slow cooking method, expounded by food scientist Bruno Goussault in 1971, has many positive aspects, most notably maintaining food textures and flavors without compromising its natural integrity.

Image source: https://www.sousvidemagazine.com

For Goussault, sous vide began as a way of improving the tenderness of roast beef. He discovered that if the beef was vacuum-sealed in a specially designed pouch and cooked slowly at a lower-than-usual temperature, it turned out softer, juicier and full of natural flavors compared to when using conventional cooking methods involving more heat and less time.

Once a technique for commercial kitchens and top chefs, new kitchen gadgets have put it into the hands of amateur chefs in their homes. Patrick Ogheard, Associate Dean of Practical Arts at EHL Hospitality Business School, explains the many wonders of cooking ‘sous-vide’.

EHL’s Patrick Ogheard had the chance to work with Goussault and gleaned many prestigious sous vide techniques from the master.

The guidelines are strict and scientifically precise, hence the occasional criticism from the old-school traditionalist chefs who claim that sous vide takes the ‘messy fun’ out of cooking.

Prodding fingers and thumbs are replaced by thermometers and gadgets, making the process foolproof and totally devoid of guesswork.

However, as the proverb says, the proof of the pudding is in the eating: the sous vide results are always tender, flavorful, succulent and evenly cooked throughout, making it a winner in big kitchens that rely on churning out big quantities of uniformly beautifully-cooked food.

What is “Precision Cooking”?

Precision cooking uses exact temperature and timing to achieve consistent, repeatable results. Techniques like sous-vide and precision steam ovens maintain tight temperature control, ensuring uniform doneness and enhanced flavor. It’s a technology-driven approach that minimizes guesswork and maximizes quality in every dish.

Patrick Ogheard’s Sous-Vide Checklist

Best Practices for Flavor, Safety, and Precision

• Seal cold, not warm: Always vacuum-seal food straight from the fridge—never at room temperature—to ensure food safety.
• Use proper vacuum bags: Never use clingfilm. Only seal with certified sous-vide cooking bags designed for heat stability.
• Avoid air pockets: Eliminate all air from the pouch—air acts as an insulator and disrupts even cooking.
• Season precisely:
  • Proteins: Use 1% salt and 5% fat.
  • Vegetables: Use 0.8% salt for optimal balance.
• Mind the pasteurization threshold: Foods cooked below 52°C are not pasteurized and must be served immediately (e.g., warm sushi).
• Cook to your target doneness:
  • Medium-rare steak: approx. 62°C (just before it turns grey)
  • Well-done steak: just under 68°C (water begins to exit muscle tissue)
• Chill properly after cooking:

• 1. Let rest at room temperature.
  2. Submerge in cold water for 10 minutes.
  3. Then ice bath for another 10 minutes.
     This preserves texture and enhances safety through rapid cooling.
• Finish strong: After sous-vide, sear, glaze, or caramelize over high heat to develop flavor, texture, and visual appeal with fat or alcohol.

Why Sous Vide is an Essential Skill for Chefs

Sous-vide cooking has now become a must-have expertise for chefs across all levels of the industry. Whether running a fine-dining establishment, managing a high-volume kitchen, or experimenting with cutting-edge techniques, mastering sous-vide can improve efficiency and quality control.

While these trends offer exciting opportunities, they also pose challenges. Hospitality businesses must balance guest satisfaction with operational feasibility, environmental responsibility, and financial sustainability.

The question is: how can the industry embrace these changes while staying true to its core mission of delivering exceptional experiences?

Key Benefits of Slow Cooking for Professional Kitchens

1. Consistency at Scale

In professional kitchens, consistency is non-negotiable. Sous-vide ensures precision by cooking ingredients at exact temperatures, eliminating the variability of traditional methods. Whether it’s a medium-rare steak or tender seafood, each portion comes out perfectly, every time—without constant supervision.

2. Enhance Flavor and Texture

Sous-vide cooking locks in natural juices and aromas, creating deep, well-rounded flavors and a tender texture. Vacuum-sealing allows herbs, spices, and marinades to infuse directly into the food. Even tough cuts become melt-in-your-mouth delicacies thanks to controlled, even cooking.

3. Maximize Nutrient Retention

Unlike boiling or frying, sous-vide preserves vitamins and minerals when using lower, controlled temperatures. Vegetables retain their color and crunch, while proteins hold onto essential amino acids and omega-3s. This makes sous-vide ideal for health-conscious, nutrient-rich menus.

4. Time Efficiency and Workflow Flexibility

Sous-vide simplifies prep by allowing chefs to cook in advance and hold food at perfect doneness until service. It’s hands-off, reducing stress during peak hours. Dishes can also be safely chilled and reheated without sacrificing quality—ideal for banquets or high-volume service.

5. Optimize Kitchen Operations and Costs

Essential Equipment

To execute sous-vide properly, precision tools are non-negotiable—starting with vacuum sealing. A vacuum sealer is essential to eliminate air, which acts as a thermal insulator. Air pockets can prevent even cooking, defeating the technique’s core principle: uniform heat transfer.

Equally vital is the immersion circulator, also known as a sous-vide stick. This tool regulates water temperature with exact accuracy—often within ±0.1°C. “My laboratory thermometer is my favorite piece of equipment,” says sous-vide pioneer Bruno Goussault, highlighting the importance of maintaining temperature precision throughout the process.

For professional kitchens, choosing a high-wattage machine (1000W–2000W) ensures fast heat-up times and stability under heavy use. Size, durability, and build quality—like stainless steel components—also matter for long-term performance in high-volume environments.

Pro Tip: Immersion circulators offer flexibility, while all-in-one water baths provide stability and scale—choose based on your workflow.

What It is Not

• Boil-in-bag. Though both use plastic pouches, boil-in-bag meals are cooked at boiling temperatures, which contradicts sous-vide’s low-and-slow approach.
• Pressure cooker. High heat and speed define pressure cooking, the opposite of sous-vide’s gentle precision.
• Steamer. While it uses water, steam cooking reaches 100°C—far above the controlled temperatures of sous-vide, risking overcooking and nutrient loss.

Optimize Your Kitchen with the Science of Sous-Vide

Now you have a clear understanding of why sous-vide cooking is more than just a trend—it's a technical breakthrough that’s reshaping professional kitchens.

From delivering precise, repeatable results to optimizing flavor, texture, and nutrient retention, sous-vide empowers chefs to uphold the highest culinary standards while streamlining operations.

As a cost-effective, time-efficient solution, sous-vide supports better planning, reduces waste, and maximizes ingredient yield—all crucial factors in a competitive foodservice environment.

Whether you're running a Michelin-starred restaurant, managing a high-volume operation, or pioneering culinary innovation, adopting sous-vide is a smart investment in consistency, profitability, and long-term success.

If you're interested in honing your sous-vide skills, EHL partnered with the Culinary Research and Education Academy (CREA), global leader in sous-vide education and technologies, to co-create and launch an innovative course on "Sous-Vide Cooking and Precise Temperature Control" for culinary professionals worldwide.

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