Last Dinner on the Titanic: Developing the Menu

by Sahrye Cohen, First published for the January/February 2012 issue of Finery

The RMS Titanic is remembered not only for the tragic iceberg strike that resulted in 1,517 deaths, but also its incredible opulence. When we first started discussing an event commemorating the Titanic’s centennial, we knew we knew it was an opportunity to do something truly fantastic. One of our major inspirations was the first-class dining menu.

Menus kept as mementos and personal accounts from passengers show what comprised the last meals aboard the ship. Two books, Last Dinner on the Titanic: Menus and Recipes from the Great Liner, by Rick Archbold and Dana McCauley, and RMS Titanic: Dinner Is Served, by Yvonne Hume, are excellent resources.

The books detail the ten-course first-class dinner, each course of which was paired with a wine, and included filet mignon, poached salmon, roast ducking, squab, and foie gras. One of the more intriguing points of the book is the foods that the authors were unable to exactly recreate. In particular, the authors were unable to accurately identify a “Waldorf pudding” listed on the first-class menu. They noted that luxury hotels of the era developed propriety menu items with which their wealthy customers would have been familiar. The book also suggests replacements for certain vegetables, such as marrow squash, that are not commonly cultivated today.

We approached several venues, including grand hotels, private clubs, and even ships, about reproducing the meal. While our insistence on using the Titanic menu did narrow down our choices, we were pleasantly surprised by how many chefs and caterers were excited about the idea. Although the entire ten course meal would be spectacular, it also proved to be incredibly expensive. We narrowed down the menu based on the modern palate and ingredient availability, and settled on a five-course menu with an optional wine flight. This arrangement accommodates modern appetites while retaining the feel of the original first-class dining experience. We selected the Bellevue Club in Oakland for both their fantastic ballroom and their enthusiasm.