Author: Amer Vargas

Categories
Julius Smith Newsletter

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, My Butler Julius

Julius SmithMy Butler Julius

by Julius Smith

Christmas for Butlers

As we approach the holiday season, please spare a thought for all the butlers and private staff who will be working over the festive period. I am not so sure it’s the most wonderful time of year for us who are responsible for making it a magical time for our principals. I am sure I am not alone in missing out on spending time with my own family because I have to serve another at Christmas, not to mention birthdays and anniversaries etc.

However, this, to use a cliché, is what we signed up for.

On the other hand, there is a tremendous sense of satisfaction when everything passes off smoothly and your principal and guests have truly had the most wonderful time of their year.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Categories
Koby Gutman Newsletter Rick Fink

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, Creative Corner

IIMBCreative Corner

Featuring Butlers who Apply their Creative Talents to their Art and their Profession

 

 

 

 

Rick Fink

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copy of National Geographic magazine’s green-eyed “Afghan Girl.”

Mr. Rick Fink has been in the butler profession for over six decades, is the principal of the Butler Valet School in England, and a venerable member of the International Butler Trainer Alliance. He started painting four years ago and before that, when he was in his 20‘s—during the time in between those years, he was too busy butling to paint!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Kobi Gutman
 
 

 

 

 

 

With the winter holiday season upon us, Mr. Gutman naturally provides guests with classic motifs to elevate their experience with his creative touches. This Father Christmas is a tree ornament, the water melon needs no explanation; and the relief of the reindeer started with a base made of tree bark to create the general shape, a clay cradle added on top to support the relief, and then a mold created of the whole piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Kobi Gutman is one of  the most accomplished hotel butlers in the world, currently working as the head butler at a private resort in Florida; he can be reached via the Institute.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Categories
Christopher Carter Sanderson Culinary Tips for Butlers Newsletter

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, Culinary Tips for Butlers

IIMBCulinary Tips for Butlers

by Christopher Carter Sanderson

As breakfast is the purview of the butler, I retain an interest in it beyond general cookery as I am sure we all do. By this time, for instance, I am sure that all of my sister and brother butlers have been instructed by Sir Ian McKellen’s excellent short instructional video on the perfect scrambled egg.

And I may be late to the party on this tip, but I have recently found that gently warming the cream cheese before serving it, either on the side or on a bagel directly, has an extraordinary impact on the flavor.

Since I have been bringing cheeses of various kinds to room temperature to serve for decades, I suppose I should not be surprised. I never had applied this dictum to cream cheese. Now that I have, I find the effect on the flavor, subtle though it is, makes a big difference. There is also the added benefit to the palate of the residual warmth being transmitted to the smoked fish, if that is being served on top of the cream cheese.

My technique is to place the requisite amount of cream cheese into a ramekin and then microwave it at a high setting very briefly. 10 seconds seems to do the trick for most microwave ovens. The texture of the cream cheese is also affected, making it easy to spread evenly or to mix in order to distribute the warmth before service.

With the usual fresh dill and/or capers, the effect of warming the cream cheese when served with smoked fish can bring the whole together in a way that the refrigerated ingredients just can’t when served cold.

Bagels and cream cheese are a very American dish, I know. Since I have seen them served in breakfasts and very lux breakfast buffets as far afield as Dubai, the UK, and California, I thought that a note concerning their service might be of use.

All my best wishes now and throughout the holiday season.

Mr. Sanderson is a butler and longterm member of our Institute and profession.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Categories
Newsletter

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021

Message from the Chairman

by Steven Ferry

Steven Ferry

This is not a goodbye… for two truisms come to mind when I sit down to write this last edition of the Modern Butlers’ Journal: Without change, life would be boring; and the more things change, the more they stay the same. The fact is that the Journal has been published without break for 15 years, well into the age where quick and easy-to-assimilate information delivered on smartphones and social media has become…

Read more »

Butlers in the Media

by Steven Ferry

No mentions of note about butlers in the media this month, but a noteworthy web site has appeared from Mr. Jim Grise, well worth a read…

 

.

 

Read more »

Letters to the Editor

Serveral letters from our readers this month!

“I still had this [encouraging Chairman’s message about dealing with hostile environments] in my inbox and I am so glad that I did, as I needed it today! Thank you for all of the invaluable insight and advice you share with us.” AH; Ed: So glad it proved useful—and you are welcome;

“I returned from a 6-month contract on a cruise ship and currently…

Read more »

The Wisdom of Butlers Past, Part 55: Proper Behaviour

by Steven Ferry

Proper etiquette at the kitchen table for staff meals was covered in the last issue, and the book then swings into 22 pages of how staff should behave toward each other, as well as with family and guests. The advice begins with sentiments that we would find most acceptable today, and which are most timely as we enter the holiday season of good cheer: “The more you endeavour to promote the happiness of those around you, the more you will secure your own. Consider that you must live with fellow…

Read more »

Let’s Talk Mixology, Part 74: Santa Clausmopolitan

by Amer A. Vargas

Ho ho ho, dear readers!

Christmas is around the corner and Santa Claus and his helpers are working hard to prepare the presents for all children everywhere!

On this occasion, we pay tribute to big man dressed in red with his own cocktail. As you will see, the Santa Clausmopolitan is not only delicious, but also reminds us of Father Noel’s outfit. And, as is often the case, it is really easy to prepare, and much easier even to enjoy! These are the ingredients you will need for…

Read more »

My Butler Julius: Christmas for Butlers

by Julius Smith

As we approach the holiday season, please spare a thought for all the butlers and private staff who will be working over the festive period. I am not so sure it’s the most wonderful time of year for us who are responsible for making it a magical time for our principals. I am sure I am not alone in missing out on spending time with my own family because I have to serve another at Christmas, not to mention birthdays and anniversaries etc.

However, this, to use a cliché, is what we signed up for…

Read more »

Paying Attention to Details

Because one image can say more than a thousand words, click on “read more” below to find out how good (or not so good) someone’s attention to detail can be, and be left speechless….

.

 

Read more »

Care of Leather Goods, Part 14: Leather Furniture

by Steven Ferry

Steven Ferry

Leather furniture either has a protective layer or is unfinished: Unfinished (aniline) leather is full grain leather that has been dyed the whole way through and does not have a protective coating on it, so while on the plus side it ages well, developing a patina, it can stain more easily.

This is simple enough to manage: Apply saddle soap with a damp cloth to any lighter stains; heavier ones, such as ballpoint marks…

Read more »

Coming Soon… Online Hospitality Butler Course!

by Amer A. Vargas

IIMBBeing a butler is not just a profession. Some say it’s almost an art; it’s definitely a philosophy and a way of life.

Whether your company be a hotel, a resort, a cruise ship, rental villas or time-share properties, if you require training of your butlers, the new IIMB Online Hospitality Butler Course could help improve your butler team’s skills. The course provides a deeper look into the butler’s soft skills, including how to manage themselves as a true butler would. It teaches butlers new and old skills such as the right demeanor, proper communication, the right way to approach service, the butler’s Etiquette & Protocols…

Read more »

Culinary Tips for Butlers

by Christopher Carter Sanderson

As breakfast is the purview of the butler, I retain an interest in it beyond general cookery as I am sure we all do. By this time, for instance, I am sure that all of my sister and brother butlers have been instructed by Sir Ian McKellen’s excellent short instructional video on the perfect scrambled egg. And I may be late to the party on this tip, but I have recently found that gently warming the cream cheese before serving it, either on the side or on a bagel directly, has an extraordinary impact on the flavor….

Read more »

Creative Corner

ft. Rick Finck & Kobi Gutman

We continue featuring butlers and ex-butlers who, not surprisingly, given the level of creativity the position requires, enjoy skills in the fine arts. If you, or any butler you know, are a creative artist in no matter what genre, please feel free to submit your/their works to the editor of the Modern Butlers’ Journal. This month we include a new creation by Mr. Rick Fink, a retired butler with over 6 decades of experience and currently the principal of the Butler Valet School in England, and a venerable member of the International Butler Trainer Alliance….

Read more »

Update on SABA

Legal actions being taken by Ms. Yang Lin and 18 students against the South African Butler Academy (SABA), Mr. Newton Cross, Guild Recruitment (GR), Mr. Willem Adriaan Coetzer, Butler Training Pty Ltd, and Butler Holdings Pty Ltd, have attracted overwhelming response from the hospitality industry around the world.

Ms. Lin provides an update stating that, after her attorney served…….

Read more »

Experienced Head Butler Sought for Resort in Bora Bora

High level of knowledge of Butler Services, both implementation and training.
Excellent reading, writing and oral skills in English and French. Additional languages are a big plus.
Candidates on this position will be asked to start as soon as possible. Consult with us to find out if you are eligible for the position, depending on your vaccination status…
 

Read more »

Recent Hospitality Graduates

In this edition we say hello once more to the butler team from Raffles Meradhoo in the Maldives. In the photo featured in this article, IIMB President Mr. Amer A. Vargas is shown with some of the butlers, as well as the Training Directors, the Front Office Manager and the General Manager, following the refresher training they completed last month.

To all of you, thanks for all your positive energy and support!

Read more »

In Their Words: How Those Trained by the Institute’s Trainers Feel about Their Experience

To end the year on a happy note, we feature the inspirational feedback from the Jadugars (butler “magicians”) from Joali Maldives and Joali Being in the Maldives, as well as the butlers from Rosewood Little Dix Bay, following the training delivered there by Mr. Vargas, who is rapidly becoming internationally recognized for his work and the positive motivational effects his training has on the staff who attend his courses. Read some of his students’ comments here…

Read more »

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world. Contact us for all your training needs via email at enquiries@modernbutlers.com or via telephone: USA 1-813- 354-2734. We invite you to also visit our website www.modernbutlers.com for more information.

Please email the editor of The Modern Butler’s Journal at newsletter@modernbutlers.com with any article ideas, concerns, comments, or suggestions.

Categories
Newsletter Steven Ferry

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, Message from the Chairman

Steven FerryMessage from the Chairman

This is not a goodbye….for two truisms come to mind when I sit down to write this last edition of the Modern Butlers’ Journal: Without change, life would be boring; and the more things change, the more they stay the same.

The fact is that the Journal has been published without break for 15 years, well into the age where quick and easy-to-assimilate information delivered on smartphones and social media has become the general preference.

At the same time, Mrs. Ferry and I are not just well past retirement age—like so many of the leading lights in our profession—and needing to turn over to the next generation to carry the torch of knowledge, but we are also heavily involved in supporting human rights organizations as well as developing real artificial intelligence that can be used to improve our lives, rather than replace us with cyborgs and control us within an inch of our lives.

While these are amongst several projects vying for our attention, we will always remain a part of the butler community and help out where we can.

That is why Mr. Amer Vargas, who has been with us almost from the beginning, has been taking over the reins of the Institute and bringing it up to the 21st Century. He will also be the editor for the MBJ. Yes, the MBJ will live on, not as a journal but as a regular series of short posts on LinkedIn and other social media where appropriate.

You will see some of the same columns, including from myself, from time to time. And you will see new material.

Why?

Because the Institute is opening up the MBJ, as the longest running publication in the profession, to the Alliance of Professional Butler Trainers, to be the journal that represents the entire profession, not just the Institute. That means you will receive the benefit of the wisdom and perspective of multiple professional butlers and trainers and be part of a much larger community as the members of the Alliance send out posts to their members, too.

If you have not already done so, follow the International Institute of Modern Butlers in Linkedin so you can receive notice of the posts as they are published and remain part of this privileged community of butlers and household/estates managers.

With gratitude for those who have walked this unique road for so long with us and wishing you continued success and happiness—starting with the 2021 holiday season and your decisions for 2022 and onwards.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people- skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Categories
Butler standards Newsletter SABA South African Butler Academy

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, SABA Update

IIMB logo

Update on Litigation against the South African Butler Academy

Legal actions being taken by Ms. Yang Lin and 18 students against the South African Butler Academy (SABA), Mr. Newton Cross, Guild Recruitment (GR), Mr. Willem Adriaan Coetzer, Butler Training Pty Ltd, and Butler Holdings Pty Ltd, have progressed.

After months of repeated delays and request for Ms. Yang Lin to grant them indulgence, the Defendants finally served their discovery. Their discovery documents show Newton Cross received six weeks of butler training at the South African School for Butlers and Household Personnel in 2002 and it is the only credential Mr. Cross presented. He admits in his affidavit that the facts of the matter concerning his claimed training are as follows: The Buckingham Palace training was a fabrication; he worked as a waiter on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, not as a butler, and Cunard’s work appraisal shows Mr. Cross delivered “Standard” work performance, notches below “Exceed Standards” and “Outstanding”.

Contrary to Defendants’ publicity, the discovery documents confirm the research done that Mr. Cross has never been hired by Fancourt Hotel, and he never worked as a butler, as claimed, for the line of celebrities and four presidents.

The discovery documents further show that SABA has made proposals to some hotels to train their staff in exchange for free accommodations in their hotel and no further payment. Based on SABA’s hotel training videos posted online, it is believed that SABA used these training videos to add credits to itself, and further pitch its training to other hotels.

Some discovery documents seem dubious. See: Ms. Yang Lin’s Notice in Terms of Rule 35(3) dated 21 October 2021 and Defendants’ reply. 

In the meantime, the Protection of Personal Information Regulator has also started investigating Ms. Lin’s complaint about the Defendants’ publication of her residential address and their illegal use of her images to mislead consumers (Case No.: CDR334-21). We are told the National Consumer Commission’s investigation is at an advanced stage.

Due to lockdowns in 2020, high court cases are back-logged, the trial date has been delayed to 2022, with long-awaited justice finally expected to be served.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Categories
Amer A. Vargas Newsletter

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, Coming soon!

IIMB LogoComing soon… Online Hospitality Butler Course!

The new Online Hospitality Butler Course

The New IIMB Online Hospitality Butler Course; picture courtesy of Piqsels.com

Being a butler is not just a profession: Some say it’s almost an art; it’s definitely a philosophy and a way of life.

Whether your company be a hotel, a resort, a cruise ship, rental villas or time-share property, if you require training of your butlers, the new IIMB Online Hospitality Butler Course could help improve your butler team’s skills. The course provides a deeper look into the butler’s soft skills, including how to manage oneself as a true butler would. It teaches butlers new and old skills such as the right demeanor, proper communication, the right way to approach service, a butler’s Etiquette & Protocols and even how excellent butlers expertly handle very difficult situations with their guests.

The new IIMB Online Hospitality Butler Course allows butlers and butlers-to-be to study at their own pace at any time of the day or the week. The course consists of more than 12 hours of short video-lessons and we will test their understanding with multiple, automatically corrected exercises and instructor-graded assignments.

If you would like more information, contact us at the International Institute of Modern Butlers; we will be happy to respond to your queries and answer all your questions.

Mr. Vargas is the Institute’s President—feel free to contact him via email, AmerVargas AT modernbutlers.com

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Categories
Butler standards Newsletter Steven Ferry

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, The Wisdom of Butlers Past

Steven FerryThe Wisdom of Butlers Past, part 55

by Steven Ferry

Proper Behaviour

Proper etiquette at the kitchen table for staff meals was covered in the last issue, and the book then swings into 22 pages of how staff should behave toward each other, as well as with family and guests. The advice begins with sentiments that we would find most acceptable today, and which are most timely as we enter the holiday season of good cheer:

“The more you endeavour to promote the happiness of those around you, the more you will secure your own. Consider that you must live with fellow servants like yourself, made up of imperfections, which will give you an opportunity of exercising your patience and forbearance towards them, as they will have to do towards you.

“Be not hasty in passing judgment on any one, as we are called on to act with Christian charity towards each other; that is, to do unto others as we would they should do unto us, were we in their situation and they in ours: if this were to be attended to, our lives would pass more pleasantly with us than they do; but how different is the practice in general to this I have no need to say, as observation and wo[e]ful experience will soon teach us what domestic quarrels families are too often the scenes of.

“There you will see envy, malice, duplicity, dishonesty, misrepresentation, and every other evil, to the tormenting of each other, instead of dwelling together in affection and unity, and living in peace and happiness, and making their home a little heaven, as they might if they were so inclined; instead of which they make it a hell on earth, by their wicked ways and disagreeable tempers, and wishing to tyrannize over each other: this seems to be the great bane in families, as I have known places where the servants have had every necessary good to make them comfortable provided by their employers, yet are miserable and wretched through not agreeing one with the other; thinking, I suppose, that happiness and respectability consist in having rule and authority over our fellow servants; but this is quite a mistake, as it consists in performing the duty which is allotted us, and doing unto others as we would wish they should do unto us: herein lies our true happiness.”

Extracted from the 1823 book, The Footman’s Directory and Butler’s Remembrancer, re-published in hardback by Pryor Publications. You may obtain your discounted copy (with free s&h) by emailing the publisher: Mr. Pryor (alan AT pryor-publications.co.uk).

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Categories
Leather Care Newsletter Steven Ferry

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, Care of Leather Goods

Steven Ferry Care of Leather Goods, Part 14

by Steven Ferry

Leather Furniture

Leather furniture either has a protective layer or is unfinished: Unfinished (aniline) leather is full grain leather that has been dyed the whole way through and does not have a protective coating on it, so while on the plus side it ages well, developing a patina, it can stain more easily.

This is simple enough to manage: Apply saddle soap with a damp cloth to any lighter stains; heavier ones, such as ballpoint marks, can sometimes be removed with a Q tip dipped in rubbing alcohol and applied only to the stain. Some aniline leather is injected with oils and waxes and some is nubuck leather that has been buffed to create a velvety feel.

To minimize staining by liquids, tamp immediately with paper towels; oil-based stains that absorb into the leather can be removed, sometimes with multiple applications, using a leather degreaser.

Leathers with protective coatings that sport a uniform look can simply be dusted with a dry cloth (a vacuum cleaner can be used with a soft-brush or thin attachment where crumbs and dust warrant it) and wiped down with a dampened cloth when needed.

Apply a leather conditioner or cream from time to time with a soft cloth to moisturize and soften full grain leather.

As with any leather, do not let furniture sit in direct sunlight, or next to a fire, radiator, or even HVAC vent, all of which will dry and crack the leather over time. One other caveat is to train pets from using leather furniture as a scratching post or chew toy, and even from sitting on it, as their claws can leave random scratches that go beyond an appealing patina.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Categories
Letters to the Editor Newsletter

The Modern Butlers’ Journal, December 2021, Letters to the Editor

PostBox

Letters to the Editor

“I still had this [encouraging Chairman’s message about dealing with hostile environments] in my inbox and I am so glad that I did, as I needed it today! Thank you for all of the invaluable insight and advice you share with us.” AH

Ed: So glad it proved useful—and you are welcome

#   #   #

“I returned from a 6-month contract on a cruise ship and currently am on vacation. I received very good feedback on my performance and was offered a third contract to open the next ship. I will never be able to thank you enough for all your teachings and tips for excellent service.” A.

Ed: Really good to hear from you again and even more so to hear of your good news and accomplishments!  You are certainly welcome for the information I passed on, and I have to tell you, your caring and inquisitive mind were always an inspiration for me. Carry on! If you happen to see any of the old team, please give them my fondest regards.

#   #   #

“I am so grateful that a reputable institution such as yours makes the time and effort to support our cause. SABA Class of April 2017.” FS

Ed: Of course!

#   #   #

“Sorry to bother you with this trifling information, but as a long-time subscriber to your excellent newsletter and a devoted butlerphile, I would like to share a rather exciting discovery: I came across an obscure American television show from the late 1980s called “Marblehead Manor.” It featured a butler named Albert Dudley who was played with energetic efficiency by English actor, Paxton Whitehead. The show only lasted one season and a mere handful of episodes have made it to YouTube. It’s exceedingly farcical and silly, especially since a pre-Seinfeld Michael Richards also co-stars in it. Butlers in films and television have greatly influenced my fascination with that dignified vocation. We’re all familiar with Jeeves and Mr. Belvedere and Mr. Carson, and it was thrilling to see a butler take such a prominent starring role in a television series, no matter how short-lived (and, yes, Jeeves is a valet as we all know).” JW

Ed: Thank you very much for sharing your discovery with us. We took a quick look at it on YT and it seems we will have to go back to it to have some good laughs. Since you are a butlerphile I am taking the opportunity to make another amusing/farcical recommendation: a 15-minute skit called “Dinner for One” from 1963. Here is a link for the colored version, as the original was black and white. I hope you enjoy it! Also, and as you mentioned you are a loyal reader of our monthly newsletter, you probably may have read in our previous edition that we are moving to regular publications in Linked in, where we hope we will keep delighting your “butlerphilia.”

 #   #   #

“I am a long-time reader of your website from the UK, having held an interest in becoming a butler for a number of years, and I have also just purchased a copy of your Serving The Wealthy Volume I book. I would like to start by thanking you for all of the wonderful resources you provide for those in the profession, and those of us who wish to join it.

“I am desperate to pursue my dream of entering service but have always been unsure of the best path into butlering; I have considered many different schools and courses over the years, but have never felt confident enough to jump in and commit to one. I have up until recently had no experience working in any form of hospitality, but have just managed to secure a part-time position as a waiter at a private member’s club in the countryside to run alongside my day job. I am learning the art of fine dining service and enjoying it immensely. Thus I have decided to take a Level 1 wine course in London in January in order to improve my knowledge in that particular area and improve my service.

“I am thinking my goal for next year will be to use the experience I am gaining to obtain a full time waiter role in a London private member’s club or a luxury hotel. My question is, ‘Do you think this can be the first step in a career path to butling or would my time and money be better spent training at a school and aiming to go straight into butling?’ I understand the role of a butler encompasses so much more than the skills waitering provides, but after a decade of being confined to office cubicles I feel like I am finally having a taste of service and it’s very exciting. As always, the dream remains big but the road unclear!” EB

Ed: Thank you for the lovely enquiry. You do have options, either way is viable, but the advantage of pursuing the current waiter course is gaining experience and practice in high-end service. Doing a butler course in a school would then be a next step that you could manage with some background to support you. The downside of going from office to butler is lack of experience that makes the resume look a bit thin to putative employers and also makes the butler curriculum a bit more challenging to grasp, whereas with F&B service, wines, and service itself as strong cards in your hand, you would be half way there. And who knows, from a waiter position one might well be hired directly to be a butler or under-butler, if one were to impress, by the by, one of the patrons. And that could be a path to employer-sponsored training as a butler. Does this help?”

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.