Why is sous vide inevitable? Large-scale and a la carte? In many cases, the answer to the catering situation is obvious, it is called sous vide. It is understood and necessary in professional circles, but its role in universal gastronomy is much more than we might think.
With the help of Tamás Csidei we learned a lot about what we call sous vide or souvid. There is hardly a gastronomic professional who doesn't know what it means, and it is starting to infiltrate households. But what does it really take to make it a solution? Tamás Csidei, who has undoubtedly played a major role in the spread of sous vide in Hungary, is slowly bringing not only the engineering and technology, but also the knowledge itself, into the profession.
- How does sous vide relate to your professional life?
- I founded in 2010 Gasztronauta Ltd.-t. Its main profile is assistance in the profession. In these times, this assistance is more important than ever. We publish regularly on the latest developments in technology and share our experiences with a number of well-known chefs. I'm an educator, with 25 years of experience in the kitchen, some of it spent abroad. It's no coincidence that I can also be proud of my 10 years of teaching in higher and secondary education institutions, and of my work at the METRO Gastronomy Academy. My sous vide cooking courses and my consultancy in restaurant kitchen operations, I believe, clearly support vocational training and the development of the next generation.
- What does sous vide mean to you?
- Researching and presenting new, economical kitchen technologies has become a lifelong ambition. I am happy to respond to any request to improve the operation, modify or even make more economical a kitchen.
- What is the difference between commercial and kitchen technology?
- In a professional environment, 30% of thermal savings and a further 20% of operational savings can be achieved if the technology is applied correctly. If it is just an additional technology and not taken seriously, it will not be good or safe. The technological standards for food preparation are the most stringent. The advantages are consistent quality, instant preparation, and economy.
Tamás Csidei in the kitchen
- What are the economic aspects?
- From an economic point of view, the product has a minimum weight loss due to the fact that the raw material is placed in a cookable vacuum foil and vacuumed after careful preparation steps. The other reason is that the low heat treatment does not change the water-binding capacity of the proteins to any great extent. Meat is the most commonly used raw material in sous vide, and its role is therefore of paramount importance in sous vide technology. One of the most important microbiological issues for the technology is the heat tolerance of the spore bacteria. Therefore, it should not be used in an ad hoc way, relying on hearsay information. This technology has taken deep roots in gastronomy and the food industry. It is here, breathing and evolving. Now it just needs to get it right and it can stay.
- How is sous vide technology making its way?
- Thanks to support for investment in the food industry, new players have entered the market, and we have created some ourselves. This distributes the customers better, but quality is becoming more important. High quality sous vide semi-finished products have been present in the food markets for decades. In the United States, France and Sweden, excellent products made for Western European markets represent the quality today. For the time being, domestic production of similar quality is still the prerogative of smaller producers. The development of mass-produced products of comparable quality in the domestic market is still at the preparatory, design and tendering stages. In my opinion, they will suddenly burst onto the Hungarian market in the short term and cover both domestic and regional needs. It is simply a solution that can be used globally, which increases sustainability, makes cooking easy for households, saves time and energy. It is very clear that it is one of the gastronomic solutions of the future.
Classics of sous vide
- Is it necessary and possible to actually learn sous vide anywhere?
- We shouldn't just sell the machines without the opportunity to provide the right knowledge before use. This is what I and the company I represent have been working on for years. The fact that we are market leaders in restaurant sous vide and vacuum technology with Gasztronauta Ltd. is also due to the fact that we have been doing nothing but training in the technology for 5 years before trading, sparing no time and energy. Today we provide online sous vide training only to our own customers, on our multi-level closed web platform. It is a highly secured access system for different levels, e-book, home distance learning, professional knowledge repository. A very important part of what we do is that we also develop food production technologies, but we do this on a tailor-made, needs-based basis.
- What materials can and should not be suvaidated?
- You have to split the question in two. You can do everything, but many things are not worth doing at all. Technology has almost infinite possibilities, you just have to know how to use it. Basically, it can be used for a lot of materials, but only if you know how to use it properly. While many people can't cook a slice properly beef, or a fish fillets, until then there is a reality to the pre-prepared for meat is. Unfortunately, I have to say that this technology could be the saving grace for the quality of today's catering, because we are facing a terrible shortage of professionals. The big picture includes knowledge of ingredients, expertise and, of course, technology. All of this is available in the profession, it is only the opportunities provided by the market, the professionals with the actual knowledge, and we could even say that the market, that is to say the customer, is missing. It is a difficult time for the economy and, with it, for the hospitality industry. Everyone is looking for solutions. I cannot say where the current situation might lead or how long it will last, but I am sure that the sous vide a huge help to the sector. So let's use it!
Source: Tamás Csidei / Airchef
Photos by Tamás Csidei
