The name of the sauté pan comes from the french word ‘sauter’ which means to jump, which refers to the action of tossing your food that is normally associated with sauté pans. Food is normally cooked on high heat with minimal oil or fat in the sauté pan and then tossed in the air to evenly cook and brown the ingredients. A sauté pan can be used for cooking anything from meat to sautéing vegetables, but also used to braise foods with liquid when the lid is on.