Cooked food vacuum makes more retail space

The cooking technique "sous-vide"-vacuum, in French-begins to take more food retail space. Before restricted to restaurants, hotels and large supermarket networks, this type of product attracts entrepreneurs. Only in this year were opened two stores in the city of São Paulo.
The flavors of France, chef Alain Poletto, works almost as an extension of the restaurant Bistrot de Paris, on rua Augusta, the central region of the city. The other store owns the table, the Ibirapuera neighborhood in the Center-South region of the city. Laura Gaspari and Jorge Boratto, who also were in the food business, are the owners. There is also the gastronomy easy Eatsy created a year ago by the ex-banqueteira Cecilia Castro Cunha.
The dishes prepared by "sous-vide" are heated by the consumer within the package itself-in water bath or placed in a pot with boiling water after the fire has been shut down. Then, just cut the plastic container and place in the dish. The method was developed in France in the years 1970. Embedded producers used the method to cook hams. In the Decade of 80 has spread among chefs.
There is a difference between vacuum cooked products and those who just are vacuum packed for conservation. The ones that are cooked vacuum sealed in the package are hardened and prepared slowly in low and constant temperature-of 43.5° C (fish medium rare) to 82ºc (confit of duck).
Poletto is a pioneer in the introduction of the technique in Brazil and several other countries. Specialized in the subject to make him subject to his master's thesis at school of Hotelaria Thonon-les-Bains, in France. Upon arriving here, helped in the purchase of equipment and development of recipes in Paola di Verona, rotisserie in Sao Paulo that uses the method to this day. Large companies such as Grupo Pão de Açúcar (GPA) also earned their knowledge to bring the method into the area of ready meals sold at the counter. At the time he was consultant to the GPA, Poletto introduced the technology for the preparation of roast beef, chicken and fish. But only now with the flavors of France, the chef has managed to develop his own business in partnership with partners Cyrille Schroeder Petrit Spahija.
In his opinion, the small-scale scheme-gourmet flavors of France and the use of the technique of industrialists have plenty of room to grow. "In the United States the market is developing enough and in Brazil is starting. After having revolutionized the kitchens of hotels and great restaurants here, the method reaches the final consumer as a new way of eating, and receive, at home ". The products have validity of two weeks in the refrigerator or six months in the freezer.
The flavors of France, with a menu focused on French classics, has packages for two people. The magret of duck ($ 78) goes well with red fruit sauce ($ 12). Already the boeuf bourguignon with vegetables, homemade bacon and sauteed mushrooms and costs $ 72.
As the flavors of France was born as a result of the bistrot, the investment was something around $ 100,000, spending on retirement, shop decoration, packaging and information material (video and web-site). The equipment for the production had already been purchased for the restaurant.
Almost double that amount was spent by Laura Gaspari and Jorge Boratto to open the Table Owner. With R $ 180 thousand and three employees, they opened the store in the first week of December. Expect to earn $ 80,000 a year. The two businessmen are also long-standing in the power market. Laura's franchise network Executive, already had clients such as Fran's Café and Good Grillé, and continues ahead of La Folder Gialla. Boratto owns the Burger Lab network.
The partners have a central kitchen, mounted in Presidente Prudente (SP), which will make 70% of the portfolio owner's table. As the operation in Sao Paulo will be simple and requires no cooks, intend to leave for an expansion via franchise. "We have a big structure and realized the lack of a practical and tasty food option for the day to day," says Laura.
The menu is Mediterranean-inspired and they use the technology of mixed form. Some dishes are fully prepared by the method "sous-vide". Others use common techniques associated with and, after ready, are vacuum sealed. There's cod, roasted meat, pies, lasagna and even escondidinho. The kits are individual and cost on average $ 18. The fraldinha, which serves two people, sells for $ 41.
Tired to do banquets, Cecilia Castro Cunha decided to specialize in vacuum cooked foods. "I started to use the technique for eight years, when I did the ' catering ' vip formula 1," he recalls. "I adopted the method for food security, to prevent contamination and to have a good safety margin in carried meals". After several years using the method at parties that I did, she decided to use your kitchen just to make ready meals and opened the Eatsy gastronomy easy.
The industrial kitchen of Cecilia works in Barra Funda, on the West side of São Paulo. The menu is prepared with the help of a nutritionist. All meals are frozen and the clientele is executives who, they sometimes ask for dishes all week to eat at the Office.
"Don't use any preservatives, very little oil and everything is finalized with extra virgin olive oil. I have a light line, especially for those who eat at work and that can be heated in the microwave, "he says. The main dishes range from $ 25 to $ 34 and the accompaniments are between $ 11 and $ 19. Cecilia also prepares, under order, Christmas and new year dinners and large packs for those who want to give dinners or take the food ready for weekends at the beach or in the countryside.