The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for cooking the foodstuff in a pressurized steam oven with the foodstuff being steam cooked in the first stage and seared in the next stage. The method automatically identifies the time of the first stage (slow) cooking and the time of the second stage (fast) cooking based on the type, size, temperature, and 3D image of the foodstuff. The slow cook is stopped before the foodstuff reaches the critical temperature by an amount determined by various parameters and next, the fast cook of searing is started. The slow cook method can be a pressurized steam cooking method. The method automatically reduces the time of the slow cooking so that the internal temperature of the food does not prematurely reach the critical temperature. The method helps in avoiding overcooking the foodstuff during the searing stage.