Super simple sous vide filet mignon with #anovafoodnerd and firefighter Patrick Mathieu

Updated August 22, 2023 Cole Wagoner

Food nerd fam, time to get to know Patrick Mathieu! Residing in Waterloo, Ontario, Patrick is a career firefighter who has taken a love to all things food. Just recently he began his foray into the world of sous vide with Anova. In that short time, he has been wildly successful in the kitchen. Patrick feeds his whole fire crew just about every night, and they can't get enough of his perfectly cooked meals! Patrick has been gracious enough to share one of his favorite recipes with us. Read along more to learn about Patrick's Anova love story, and his secret to sous vide filet mignon.

Firefighting, family, and food

Patrick grew up in a family where food and firefighting were at the forefront. From a young age, he wanted to follow in the footsteps of multiple firefighting family members. When he started his career, he had the option of either cooking or cleaning up at the firehouse. Needless to say, he'd do just about anything to avoid cleaning up! Thus, his need to learn how to cook became a necessity.

Love at first bite

Patrick was introduced to Anova through a friend. This wonderful friend loaned his Precision Cooker to Patrick and it was an immediate love connection. Two months ago Patrick purchased his own Anova and stepped his game up in the kitchen in ways he didn't know to be possible. He immediately brought his new culinary sidekick to the firehouse and started dishing up meals that left his peer in awe. His crew was hesitant at first about trading out their beloved outdoor grill in favor of Anova. But, Patrick says they came around quickly as soon as they experienced the results. "What is that contraption?" became, "Let's use the Anova!" It's been nothing but edge-to-edge perfection at his firehouse since.

No experience needed

With zero culinary professional training–just a love for food and a drive to learn–Patrick has made a name for himself in the firefighting community as a cooking pro. Patrick explains that food and firefighting go hand in hand. Working 24 hour shifts with the same people means sharing a lot of meals together. Because of the high-stress nature of the job, a nice meal together does amazing things for their camaraderie. Patrick takes a ton of pride in being the guy that makes it happen. Patrick recently released a book full of firehouse-friendly recipes and even appeared on a popular cooking show! He also uses his knowledge in community education, so others can learn the joy of creating restaurant-quality meals with ease. He often teaches multiple classes a week at different local outlets, sharing his love of Anova far and wide.

"The best of the best, on our schedule"

When it's time for dinner at the station, you'll find Patrick plating up juicy steaks like sous vide filet mignon (recipe included here!) slathered in chimichurri sauce, tender pork chops seasoned with Caribbean-style rubs, and turkey thighs without a hint of dryness. He loves that with Anova, he never has to worry about overcooking his food. He says he gets insanely delicious results, every time. Patrick's also a huge fan of the Anova Culinary App and his ability to use it to operate the Precision Cooker from his phone remotely. A call could come in at any moment, so Patrick and his crew need to drop everything and head out in minutes. With traditional methods, Patrick would have to switch off the oven, stovetop, or grill and ditch the dish. He would come back from the call and would then have to throw away the spoiled, partially-cooked food. Now, Patrick and the crew leave their food cooking in the pot with Anova and head out to battle the blaze. Upon returning, famished and tired, their meal is waiting on them, hot and ready. Patrick can't count how many meals have been ruined mid-cook before implementing sous vide into the routine.

"To be able to offer the best of the best, on our schedule is amazing."