Titanic Last Meals Commemorate Centennial

Last meals are seldom celebrated, but this month the documented meals served the infamous day the Titanic sank will again be cooked and presented throughout the Patch community.  Countless home “sinking parties” are being planned.

Among those commemorating the event are the chefs at the Fox Theatre and Butler's Pantry, who are authentically reproducing the last dinner and brunch served to first class passengers on April 14, 1912, the day before the Titanic sank. 

These two historically reproduced foodie events are the jewels of the St Louis Titanic Centennial, a three-day event that kicks off at the History Museum on Friday. Each meal features the ultimate food trends and gourmet delights of the Edwardian era. 

“If I knew the Titanic was going down and I had one last chance to indulge myself, and I was surrounded by some of the most extravagant food in the world, I would enjoy a fine glass of Opus 1, a Kobe beef filet, topped with lobster in a morel cream sauce with a side of flourless chocolate cake,” said Greg Ziegenfuss, executive chef at Butler’s Pantry.

If Chef Greg had been aboard the Titanic he would have had to make do with another red wine, the fifth course Sirloin of Beef with Chateau Potatoes and a Chocolate Éclair from the tenth course. These were just a few of the dishes listed among fabled 11-course dinner. 

Continuing the search of what you would have eaten, Titanic Centennial event Chair Mary Strauss said, "All the food is wonderful. If I had been on board I would have wanted to have it all – from the oysters on the half shell to the port. But you can still have it all at our commemorative gala last dinner on the Titanic.”

The Fox Theatre executive chef, Stephen Proctor, and his team has worked for months refining vintage recipes and culinary techniques. On April 14 diners can indulge in the menu’s 38 listed dishes that include poached salmon with mousseline sauce, roast duckling, Filet Mignons Lili, Squab and Cress, Pate de Foie Gras and Waldorf Pudding. The brunch menu isn’t as titanic, but still is gigantic and is first class with almost 20 items ranging from herb encrusted lamb chops to haddock Veronique to soufflé Florentine, to salads, fruits and omelets. 

See related article: Titanic Recipes for Your Home Menu

Chef Stephen’s Titanic’s Centennial last dinner will be recreated and served on the stage at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. Chef Greg and Butler’s Pantry is overseeing the champagne brunch April 15 at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Piper Palm House.  Dinner tickets are priced at Rockefeller rates - $500 a seat and includes musical entertainment, customer servers and actors portraying such Titanic luminaries as Unsinkable Molly Brown.  Tickets are limited to only 327, the same as the number of Titanic’s first class passengers. Brunch tickets are more affordably priced at $45, with several seating times throughout the day. Proceeds of the both events benefit the Fox Performing Arts Foundation. For information click on titanic2012stl.com