For nearly a century since the R.M.S. Titanic's famed voyage, those longing to recapture the essence of the magnificent ship have, from time to time, faithfully recreated the ambience and opulent dining offered aboard the legendary ocean liner.

One such recreation took place in 1952 at the Trianon Palace Hotel in Versailles, France. At that time, a young Eric Bernard Tordjman watched and listened as his father and grandfather, both chefs, proudly discussed one such lavish Titanic dining experience they had planned, prepared and served to guests at the Trianon. "I have never forgotten," the now third-generation Chef E. Bernard recalled. "I have always remembered tales of the Titanic Dinner prepared by my father and grandfather in Versailles ... and I have dreamed of following in their footsteps by offering such a unique dining experience here, too."

Chef E. Bernard's vision has now become reality and, Thursday, June 23rd, "Diner du Titanic" (to dine on the Titanic) will become a special weekly offering at his lakeside Bernard's Bistro Restaurant in The Village at Lake Las Vegas.

The R.M.S. Titanic was built in 1911 at the Harland & Wolff Shipyard in Belfast, Ireland. When launched and brought to the White Star Line homeport in Southampton, England to be outfitted and officially commissioned on March 31, 1912, the mammoth 883-foot Olympic-Class ocean liner was hailed the largest and grandest ship ever built.

Over a 10-month period, the magnificent Titanic was appointed with the finest luxuries and opulence of the day, supported by the most technologically advanced features of the period. The rich wood-paneled B-Deck Café Parisian and D-Deck Dining Saloon were focal points, offering the finest cuisine for the first-class passengers prepared by famed European chefs of the day.

When the Titanic set sail for her maiden voyage on April 10, 1912, of the 3,547 passengers aboard, 416 had purchased "First Class" passage – each paying the equivalent of $124,000 in today's dollars – to experience the very finest of elegant lifestyle, luxurious travel and opulent dining ever imagined.

Chef E. Bernard is committed to recreating that experience – without adjusting for inflation.

Starting at seven bells shipboard time (7 p.m. for others), those booking passage will be greeted, given a White Star Line "Boarding Pass" and seated for an unhurried evening of sumptuous epicurean dining. Music of the day will be played on piano, violin and guitar – recreating the same make-up of musicians that played aboard the Titanic.

Various special decorative touches will help complete this bygone shipboard ambience and elegant dining experience.

While the menu will vary from week to week, each meal will be based on actual dishes either served aboard the Titanic or those prepared by world-class chefs for the White Star Line sister-ships, the R.M.S. Olympic and R.M.S. Britannic.

The first menu, offered next week and officially launching the Thursday night "Titanic" dining series, will offer a selection of dishes drawn from the actual First Class menu on the ship's maiden voyage.

For "Titanic" Dining on Thursday evenings, one can book passage for either a lavish five-course meal ($65 per person) or elegant three-course dining (for $45). Each seating begins with a glass of Champagne, followed by European-style gourmet dinner courses, and ends hours later with fabulous pastries prepared from the actual pastry recipes of the Titanic's First Class dining room.

To reserve passage, call Bernard's Bistro By the Lake in the Village at Lake Las Vegas at 565-1155. No travel agent required.