How First Class Passengers Took Their Steak Aboard The Titanic

Over 2,000 people set sail on board the Titanic on April 10, 1912, not knowing that the ship's first voyage would also be its last. The Titanic was already an iconic ship during its time, boasting with the comfort it provided the passengers in first, second, and even third class. Much is known about the ship's devastating sinking only five days after it set sail, but the lesser-known stories about the passengers' lives on board are just as intriguing. First class passengers had the greatest comfort and amenities, including a fancy dining saloon. Rare surviving dinner menus from the ship give us a precious insight into the dishes they were able to choose from and the cuts of steak they could opt for — namely filet mignon and sirloin.

On April 11, the second evening of the ship's journey, sirloin steak was served with horseradish cream, a combination still popular today. Pairing horseradish with steak offers an elevated flavor experience, and the cream is very easy to prepare: Horseradish is mixed with sour cream and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.

Another steak dish from the dinner menu is beef tournedos a la Victoria. Tournedos are the same steak cut as filet mignon, except they can be slightly larger. Prepared "a la Victoria," tournedos were served with crumb-coated fried bananas, a very interesting combination that was then topped with white and espagnole sauces, two of French cuisine's five mother sauces.  

It was the night of April 14, 1912 when passengers had their final dinner service aboard the Titanic. Steak-loving first class passengers could order "Filet Mignon Lili" or sirloin steak with château potatoes. The Lili dish was a true representative of fancy French cuisine and was built in layers. The first layer was a bed of potatoes called "pommes Anna" — thinly sliced, buttered, and stacked baked potatoes. The second layer was an artichoke bottom infused with lemon. Next came foie gras, soft filet mignon, and truffles.

The sirloin steak was served with château potatoes cut into olive shapes and fried in butter to perfect crispiness. These potatoes (as well as most dishes served on the Titanic) were inspired by Auguste Escoffier, the legendary French chef that forever changed how professional chefs cook. The steak itself was likely made in loads of butter too, giving it a tender texture with lots of fatty flavor.

Although the Titanic's journey came to an untimely end, the recipes that do survive that historic time period give an interesting glimpse into the culinary trends aboard the iconic ship — even if we do marvel at their affinity to pair meat with bananas.