Duck confit is an entirely different preparation than steak. 145F for steaks, 165F for chicken and everything else is around 160F in the USA.

I have cooked fork tender gigot of lamb at 250F for a seven-hour lamb but I still seared it first. Standard is 375F.

Searing and into the pre heated oven must be really quick. Immediately. Most known bacteria will be killed at high temperature above 140-145 F.

A sous vide bath is air tight environment and again..like the duck confit..is not relevant here.

Cooking is chemistry. Leaving meat around at room temperature is just bad deviation from standards. I would never teach anyone to start anything on a ‘cold pan’. It’s one thing if you have been cooking for years and years and know the ‘why’ of the standards. It only comes from experience and kitchen discipline. But to put it out on an online recipe or hand out instructions when there is no way to audit the follower of the recipe is just unacceptable. My 2c.

Would I start on a cold pan? Maybe. Would I run a kitchen like that? Never! Would I teach students to start on a cold pan? Absolutely not! Not all stoves and ovens are calibrated right. We take so many things for granted and cooking is also about taming heat and fire.

But that’s just me. Meat has special handling and storage and cooking instructions because in a restaurant it affects everything from liability to failing inspections to the risk of making a small mistake that will affect so many people. I just find it very irresponsible.