Heston Blumenthal's Sous Vide in the must-have gadget for foodies

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Cynics say it is simply a posh version of boil-in-the-bag.

But thanks to a rise in popularity of the celebrity chef and television cooking shows, the sous vide is fast becoming the must-have gadget in middle-class kitchens.

The machine, which vacuum packs meat, fish and vegetables, before cooking it in a water bath at a controlled temperature, has long been a favourite of high-end chefs at the countrys best restaurants.

Sous simple: Heston Blumenthal demonstrates his approach to sous vide cooking -it is fast becoming a must-have gadget in middle-class kitchens

However, following its appearance on foodie shows, such as the Great British Menu and MasterChef, thousands of amateur cooks have been snapping the machines up each year.

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HestonBlumenthal, who began experimenting with the technique around 15 years ago, said the sous vide is set to revolutionise the way Brits cook at home. The chef, who is launching a signature model next year, reckons itcould signal the biggest change in cooking habits for decades.

'It has the potential to be the biggest change in domestic kitchens since the microwave, he said. It has already created the biggest change in co! mmercial kitchens since electricity was used in cooking.'

Unlimited possibilities: Heston Blumenthal said sous vide will boost the standard of home cooking and threaten the existence of mediocre pubs and restaurants

Sous vide which literally means under vacuum - dates back to 1974, when Pierre Troisgros, a Michelin-starred chef in Roanne, France, tried new ways of cooking foie gras to stop it shedding weight in cooking.

Blumenthal,who has been working with kitchen manufacturer Salter to develop a 200machine, expected to be launched next year, began experimenting with the technique in the late 1990s.

'I bought a water bath from a scientific company,' he added. 'We've spent 14 years experimenting with the method, and the possibilities and permutations are endless.'

Vacuum pack: Sous vide literally means 'under vacuum' and dates back to 1974, when Pierre Troisgros, a Michelin-starred chef in Roanne, France, tried new ways of cooking foie gras

Although it has been described as posh boil-in the-bag, the end results are far superior than your average ready meal.

The method of sealing the meat or fish in an air tight plastic bag, combined with cooking it in water, often at lower temperatures and for longer periods than conventional cooking, serves to retain the meat or fish juices, making it tastier and more succulent.

Blumenthal, famous for his weird food creations, such as snail porridge and bacon and egg ice cream at his Michelin-starred restaurant, the Fat Duck, in Bray, Berkshire, said sous vide will boost the standard of home cooking and threaten the existence of mediocre pubs and restaurants in the process - if adopted by the masses.

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Masterchef: The appearance of a Sous Vide on the hit cookery show has boosted sales

Eventually he hopes people will be able to go to their local supermarket, pick up a fresh fish and seasonings, which will be vacuum packed by an assistant at the deli counter, before being cooked by customers in their sous vide machines at home.

But whether the gadget will become as popular among Brits in the 21st century as the fondue set became in the 1970s, the Breville sandwich toaster in the 1980s and George Foreman grill in the 1990s remains to be seen.

Last night John Lewis, which sells sous vide machines for 299 and 349, said it had seen a 60 per cent increase in sales of the gadget year on year.

Yat Wong Jones, small electricals buyer for the store, said most of their sous vides were sold to male foodies, aged between 40 and 60.

'There has been a real shift in the type of kitchen equipment people are buying, she said. The plenitude of cookery shows on television, and professional methods of food preparation, are clearly driving this trend.'

The kitchen store Lakeland is also launching a machine next year, after its vacuum pack machine originally designed for food storage became a bestseller among cooks who were using them for sous vide cooking.

Marks and Spencer also uses sous vide for its 'plat du jour' dishes at its deli counters.

Barbara Ross, M&S deli product developer, said the gadget had become 'a necessary tool for quality and consistency' in their meals.