The Titanic's Drunk Pastry Chef Has The Coolest Survival Story

It may be because of history class, or the James Cameron movie, but most people know the basic story of the Titanic. According to History, 1,500 of the 2,240 passengers aboard the ship lost their lives on April 15, 1912, after the luxury steamship struck an iceberg on its way from Europe to New York City. Those staying in first class had a 44% advantage of surviving when compared to other passengers and crew members, but according to Irish Central, the cheapest ticket to first class would cost almost $4,000 in today's currency.

The first-class price tag also came with the best food the ship had to offer. For breakfast, those living this luxurious lifestyle enjoyed haddock, salmon, sirloin steak, omelets, and so much more. For lunch, diners had the choice of food from the buffet or grill; the buffet was stocked with roast beef, veil and ham pie, and Bologna sausage, while the grill served up chicken, corned beef, and dumplings. Beyond that, they enjoyed dinner as well as a fourth and fifth course. 

The menu didn't lack in desserts either, as it included vanilla éclairs and pastries made by talented pastry chefs, one of which survived the sinking with a fantastic tale.

When Titanic's chief baker Charles Joughin learned the ship was sinking, he responded by drinking a lot of brandy (according to National Post). This lent him the courage to step off the stern and paddle until he reached safety via lifeboat. In a transcript, the wreck commissioner said that "[he thinks] his getting a drink had a lot to do with saving his life," but this wasn't necessarily due to the alcohol itself. 

Despite causing the drinker to have a warm feeling, alcohol can actually increase the chance of freezing to death. Alcohol, in larger quantities, draws warm blood away from the vital organs and towards the skin. However, Gordon Giesbrecht, a hypothermia expert, hypothesized that the water was so cold that it would've canceled out these potentially deadly effects of the alcohol. He said, "At low to moderate doses of alcohol, cold will win out." 

Instead, Joughin's lack of panic is what probably led him to safety in the end. His survival story is remembered all these years later. A TikToker shared a comedic rendition of the incident, which led to relatable responses. "And they say nothing good can come out of drinking," one user wrote. "THIS is what the movie should have been," wrote another. In this case (though maybe not every case) liquid courage saved his day.