Dining in 1936

By Jacki Fanzo, Archive Manager
March 2, 2011

The maiden voyage of the Queen Mary was an enormous undertaking.  Nowhere is this more evident than in her kitchens.  The storage lockers were filled with 70 tons of meat, 20 tons of fish, 4,000 chickens and ducklings, 4,000 gallons of milk, 2,000 pounds of cheese, 3 tons of butter, 70,000 eggs and the list goes on.  This was a very large amount of food which would be required for every voyage.

Since the ship had three classes: Cabin (first), Tourist (second) and Third which were separate and distinct they required separate dining rooms which then meant three menus for each meal.  The ship had its own printing press and that department was able to produce lovely menus each day.  They often used prints of the art found in the public rooms of the ship.

Even though there were three classes, each passenger was treated to the same amenities but on a sliding scale.  The menu choices for all classes offered many selections at each meal.  Third class was more than adequate.  Tourist class had just a few more selections and Cabin class had the most. View 5-16-1936_Lunch Menu

For example, a Cabin class breakfast menu offered ten fruits and three fruit juices as starters.  This was followed by eleven cereal selections.  Then came four fish entrees.  Egg dishes were very popular with six types available plus omelets.  The grill items included six choices.  There were at least three types of potatoes.  A passenger could also order assorted cold meats and salads.  There were pancakes and waffles.  At least seven breads rounded out the breakfast choices which also included honey, conserves and marmalade toppings.  Naturally there was tea, coffee, hot chocolate and milk offered to compliment the meal.

Tourist and Third class passengers were also offered tempting menus.  The only difference being the number of choices they had from which to select.

It has been said that any guest could ask for nearly anything they desired and somehow the kitchens were able to produce it.  Not only were the meals different for each class, the serving pieces were as well.  Each class had its own pattern of dishes, flatware, serving pieces, glassware and linens.

One thing that set the Queen Mary apart from other liners of the time was the fact that she also had a complete Kosher Kitchen aboard.  This kitchen catered to the large Jewish population that often sailed across the Atlantic.  Special menus were created for them.  The Queen Mary even had a completely stocked kosher pantry.  Kosher items were clearly marked to ensure that  kosher items would not be mixed with non-kosher items.

The kitchen crew prepared all the food for the entire voyage for passengers and crew alike.  There was breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner, not to mention the special meals for the Verandah Grill, Private Dining Rooms and Stateroom Service that may have been necessary on any given day.  The Queen Mary had one of the finest bakery kitchens.  The bakers would make rolls, bread, pastries, cakes and pies.  Often they were asked to produce special cakes for birthday or anniversary celebrations.  No request was denied.  The kitchens were extremely busy places.

It has been said that the crew truly appreciated serving aboard the Queen Mary as she had the most advanced equipment and accommodations of the day.  Their jobs were made much easier because of this.  While they worked long and hard hours, they were a happy crew providing many special moments for their passengers.  Their code was “First Class-Unsurpassed.”  That is the Queen Mary.

Advertisement