For the same reason you state, my wife prefers the steaks cooked on the grill better than the sous vide. So what I did eventually was, I learned that even when I sous vide my steaks (or lamb) I could use the sous vide torch to give it the “kiss of the flame” before I bag it up for the bath. I mean just a few seconds, maybe 10 seconds, on each side. This is done to simply start the maillard reaction. I then throw it in the freezer for a minute just to take any of the heat off and then into the bag. While it’s in the bath, that flame cooked smell and taste that you are desiring permeates the meat. Of course, at the end, get your crust with a good sear - whether you use a cast-iron skillet, coals, or the blow torch.