Direct or Indirect Cooking

Direct cooking is the term given to food items which are prepared for immediate consumption. Indirect is the term which is used for food which is cooked, chilled, stored in chilled conditions for subsequent regeneration.

Bigger capacity unstirred baths are commonly used for mis en place or indirect cooking. For direct cooking (immediate consumption) chefs sometimes prefer the smaller capacities placed on each relevant section e.g. sauce, fish, pastry.

Immersed or Vacuum Packs

SFood can be cooked directly in liquid rather than in a vacuum pack. For example, a portion of food is placed directly in oil and not vacuum packed. Vegetable oil can be flavored with vanilla bean, star anise, or something similar. Some cooks cook food in a container filled with broth, such as chicken, vegetables, etc. However, the most common process is to place the food in a vacuum pack and cook it, creating a dish mise en place or cooking it directly.

What is molecular gastronomy?