Today we welcome Corporate Chef Lisa Lafond and discuss all things Sous-vide and the upcoming RC Show
CB: First off, we are really excited that you’ve joined the team at Permul and know that your background and experience will really help educate and assist our clients and partners. For those that don’t know, how long have you been a chef?
Lisa Lafond: I have been in the industry for over 20 years.
CB: And was that always as a chef?
LL: Yes. At one point I was also the director of sales for an events company, but even during that time I was still an executive chef.
CB: Wow. The Restaurants Canada Show is coming up, March 1st to 3rd. Lisa can you talk about some of what we can expect to see at the Permul booth?
LL: Well one of the brands I am super excited about is Sammic. We are bringing a countertop Food Processor, a Food Packing/Vacuum Seal machine and of course the SmartVide Immersion Circulator. I will be doing some live demonstrations and talking about the benefits of sous-vide cooking.
CB: What are some of the benefits of sous-vide cooking?
LL: Well, for one, the fact that you’re able to enhance the flavour of your food using less oil and salt makes it a healthy way of preparing the product. By using the Sammic vacuum sealer, you also preserve vitamins and minerals that would normally be lost in traditional cooking methods like boiling or steaming.
CB: I didn’t think of that.
LL: Another beneficial factor in cooking this way is that water is the best conductor of heat because it is evenly distributed, so the end result is perfect precision cooking. It really is a foolproof method of cooking as you’re never at risk of carry-over cooking. Take a steak, for example; once you set the temperature of the water bath, the internal temperature of that steak will stay at that precise temp you set your bath to and it will never overcook. This makes it the perfect holding mechanism and even great for large batch cooking.
CB: I read somewhere that vacuum sealing also adds to the natural life cycle of the food.
LL: It absolutely does. This is why a good vacuum sealer and immersion circulator go hand in hand. By using a good vacuum sealer, you can preserve the food for so much longer. If you were to just put a product in the fridge it will only last 2 to 3 days. But when vacuum sealed, it can last up to 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the product. Same goes for the freezer. Normally frozen products will last 6 to 12 months in the freezer, but if sealed under vacuum first, it can last 2 to 3 years.
CB: That’s incredible.
LL: Yes, all of these make food packaging and sous-vide method so compelling, but again at the end of the day the reason that I love it is that is just an incredible flavour infusion.
CB: Ok, last question as I know you are busy. What’s with all the ping pong balls in the bath?
LL: People ask me that all the time! Well, they are quite an innovative ball. One of the challenges is that the sous-vide method can take a long time and in that time water will evaporate from the bath. The balls slow that process down. Also, as a chef if I want to pull something or add, I don’t have to lift a lid, and deal with all that condensation. The balls also help to weigh the product down.
CB: Thanks Lisa. Can’t wait for the show!
