Why Anthony Bourdain Called This Steak Cut A 'Poor Man's Filet Mignon'

Although Anthony Bourdain didn't grow up in France, he was well-versed in the country's cuisine ever since he was young. The New Jersey-raised chef spent time in France as a child, was formally trained at the Culinary Institute of America where classic French culinary techniques are mastered, and worked as the executive chef of Les Halles in Manhattan, a lauded French bistro. While there, he became close with French butcher, Hubert Marie, who specialized in procuring cuts of meat that were rarely seen in America. One such cut was pavé — also called filet de romsteck — that Bourdain referred to as "a sort of poor man's filet mignon" in a piece he penned for The New York Times.

Similar to a top butt or top sirloin in the U.S., filet de romsteck comes from a cow's rear end and sits between the sirloin and round steaks. Cylindrical in shape and about 12 inches long, the filet is cut into steaks which, once cleaned and trimmed, resemble the better known filet mignon. At Les Halles, filet de romsteck was primarily used for steak frites and savory steak au poivre, where the meat is coated in cracked peppercorns and served with a creamy cognac sauce.

Generally, filet de romsteck is less expensive than the pricier filet mignon it resembles because it's not considered to be prized among consumers, hence the nickname "poor man's filet." The cut is also known as a butcher's cut, or a portion that's reserved for the butcher due to its lack of public demand. But this is precisely the type of cut that Bourdain loved.

Anthony Bourdain made his career by traveling extensively around the world, writing about his adventures, and hosting several television shows which followed his journeys. A large part of his travels involved food, and he famously embraced meat. 

But for someone who'd eaten across the globe — and who presumably had the budget to cook whatever kind of meat he wanted — Bourdain didn't gravitate toward more premium cuts like tenderloin and filet mignon. The steak cuts that were Anthony Bourdain's favorites included entrecôtes, rib steaks, and a côte de boeuf. In France, he discovered onglet steak, also called hanger steak in the U.S. (a butcher's cut), and appreciated its flavor and texture. Of course, there was the meat Anthony Bourdain refused to ever eat again, but that was fermented and from a shark.

Unless you work with a French butcher the way Bourdain once did, it may be difficult to find the "poor man's filet" that he loved so much. Specialty meat stores, private cattle farmers, and French butcher shops will likely be your best sources. Even if your local shop doesn't carry pavé or filet de romsteck, it might be able to source it for you. You may also be able to order it online for a taste of one of Bourdain's all-time favorite steaks.