Sous Vide Workshop – Hour 1 Script

Instructor: Connor Visser
Workshop: Intro to Sous Vide
Audience: Seniors (16 participants)
Session 1: Instruction + Demonstration (60 mins)

🕒 0:00 – 0:05 — Welcome & Introduction

“Good afternoon, everyone — and welcome! I’m Connor Visser from the Municipality of Clarington, and today we’re going to explore sous vide cooking — what it is, why people love it, and how you can do it at home easily.”

“The first hour is all about instruction and demos. The second hour — we’ll eat!”

🕒 0:05 – 0:10 — What Is Sous Vide?

“Sous vide means under vacuum — but it’s really about precise temperature control in water. You seal your food and cook it gently in a water bath that’s held at a specific temperature.”

“No more overcooking. No more raw middles. It’s just edge-to-edge perfection.”

🕒 0:10 – 0:15 — What Sous Vide Is Good (and Bad) For

✅ Works Great For:

Steak — perfect medium rare
Chicken thighs — moist, safe, delicious
Pork tenderloin — tender without drying out
Crème brûlée and eggs — silky and stable
Vegetables — precise doneness
Meal prep — cook ahead, reheat anytime

❌ Not Ideal For:

Fried or breaded food — goes soggy
Leafy greens — turn limp and sad
Foods that require dry heat or crisping

🕒 0:15 – 0:30 — Sealing Demonstration

🔹 1. Water Displacement Method

[Demo] Lower zip bag with carrots into water to push out air.

“Perfect for people without a vacuum sealer. No special gear needed.”

🔹 2. Chamber Sealer with Liquids

[Demo] Seal water in a chamber bag. Show clean result.

“This lets you vacuum-seal liquids, soups, and custards easily.”

🔹 3. Edge Sealer Limitations

[Demo] Try sealing water — suction fails, pulls liquid up
[Demo] Seal a frozen cube of water — it works

“Edge sealers can’t handle liquids unless you freeze them first.”

🔹 4. Bag Compatibility

[Demo] Try sealing a smooth chamber bag in an edge sealer — won’t work
Show image: Textured vs smooth bag

“Edge sealers need ridged bags so air can escape — chamber bags are too smooth.”

🕒 0:30 – 0:40 — Jar Sealing & Crème Brûlée Demo

🔸 Fingertip-Tight Lids

[Demo] Fill 4 oz mason jar with water. Twist lid just until resistance. Place in bath.

“As it heats, air escapes — you’ll see bubbles rise. That’s how the vacuum forms.”

🔸 Show Cooked Crème Brûlées

[Show pre-cooked jars] “These were cooked at 181°F for 1 hour. We'll torch the sugar later.”

🕒 0:40 – 0:55 — Finishing: Why We Still Sear

“Food out of the bag looks... underwhelming. Let me show you.”

[Show] Unseared steak — pale and soft
[Show] Chicken thigh — cooked but unappealing

“Searing gives us the Maillard reaction — that crust and deep flavor.”

💡 Tips for Searing

Dry the food — moisture ruins crusts
Use high heat (cast iron, grill, torch)
Don’t overdo it — it’s already cooked inside

🕒 0:55 – 1:00 — Wrap-Up & Transition

“That’s your first hour: the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of sous vide. Now let’s take a short pause, and when we return, we’ll taste, finish, and talk through techniques as we go.”

[Invite questions or informal discussion while transitioning]