THE band famously kept playing as the Titanic went down, but few people now spare a thought for those who did the cooking.

For that reason, The Huntsman, near Cheadle, has drawn up a special menu celebrating the liner's 62 galley and kitchen staff and the 13 among them who survived.

The pub's new food range is based on the final meals served on the stricken steamer to tie in with its current selection of ales from the Titanic Brewery.

And it means visitors can now have a taste of the same type of roast duckling passengers ate on April 14, 1912, as they wash their meal down with a pint of the Burslem brewer's Iceberg.

For brothers Kieran and Conor Devine, who have run the Brookhouses pub for 11 months, the menu has proved timely.

Recent research by a family member has shown their great-uncle narrowly missed being one of those on board the liner's famous maiden voyage – after the train taking him there was late.

Thomas Carroll was due to board at Cobh in Ireland, the liner's last port of call, but had to settle for a later passage across to the U.S.

The Devines asked chef Rob Matts from Eccleshall, to prepare a menu inspired by what was offered up on the fateful night in 1912 after agreeing to take four Titanic ales as part of their rotating real ale range.

And the result was created from three menus which were served for the last meals before the steamer hit an iceberg shortly before midnight.

Kieran, aged 43, who lives in Cheadle, said: "Everyone has enjoyed it and it has a bit of novelty value as well.

"It's something different and the beer has gone really well too."

For lunch, Titanic passengers had a choice from the grill, a buffet and cheese board, as items including Norwegian anchovies and fillets of brill were served up.

For dinner, there was a wide range of meat and fish spread over 12 courses, including oysters, salmon mousseline, roast duckling and beef sirloin.

In second class, the choice was also expansive, if a little more basic, as passengers were offered curried chicken and rice, roast turkey and vegetables including puree turnips.

The Devine brothers have been running the freehouse since March and say they are keen to keep produce local.

As well as Titanic, they have taken ales from Audley's Townhouse brewery and Lymestone in Stone.

Kieran ran the Three Tuns in Longton for seven years from 1990, before taking on O'Leary's in London Road, Stoke.

The brothers opted to take over the Huntsman after the empty pub became available and have since spent their time bringing it back to form.

Last year, it narrowly missed out a place in the Good Beer Guide despite their short time at the helm.

And Conor, aged 40, who now lives at the pub, said: "We have only been open nine months, but to get in next year would be recognition of the good food and good traditional ales we want to be serving."

Titanic director Dave Bott said: "In the nine months that Kieran and Conor have run the Huntsman it has been transformed into a vibrant community pub which is much loved by regulars and visitors."

The Titanic menu runs until Sunday. Food can be bought as separate courses, at £15 for three courses, or £16 for three courses with any pint of Titanic beer.

See Friday's Sentinel for Alan Cookman's review of The Huntsman's Titanic menu.