As butlers, we care about people: Certainly about our employers, but also the staff we rely on to keep the estate running, the vendors, and by extension, their families, the police who keep order, the shopkeepers, etc. In the same vein, we might well care about all humans and other life forms that survive on this narrow band around the world, because the better we all do, the better we all do. So it is that I have to wonder about the best efforts to help us through this apparent pandemic. Are we really on the right track?…

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With 90% of the media focused on government responses to the virus, collapsing economies, and the invisible dangers presented by the virus, there was no room for matters butler. In fact, the only two mentions were of products given butler names: A “Butler Globe Light” and a “Yard Butler”—the latter is a wall-hanging support for a garden hose and should not be confused with the Yard Butler that holds large plastic bags open so one can put fallen leaves into them. Ah well, that is the drawback for being recognized as the quintessential service providers…

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“I am surprised to find two things that need correcting in the latest edition of your always excellent newsletter: Ivor Spencer was made an MBE by the Queen, not knighted. Had he he been knighted, he would be known as Sir Ivor, not Sir Spencer as you wrote. I do hope you are keeping active, fit and well during these ‘horror movie’ times. Warmest regards,” RE

Ed: Thanks for pointing out these errors. I see we have a common misconception in the profession that Mr. Spencer was knighted as an MBE and therefore…

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The sideboard and side table were not just functional mis-en-place tools but also an opportunity to create a beautiful presentation that showed off the various tableware of the household, such as the “glasses and small waiters [8″ tray], the cruet-stand [for holding condiment containers], sugar-basin, and the cut-glass water jug, which is to go on with the dessert, and a few silver spoons.”

Two words of caution: a) If there were not enough glasses, “never attempt to make three or four persons drink out of one glass, as that is a filthy trick.” b) Place…

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This month we examine a topic that impacts every butler and estate manager—their remuneration package. As some people in the profession and the media have lowballed the exchange given to butlers and estate managers from time to time, which is not helpful when negotiating a salary, especially with an employer not used to having butlers or estate managers, we thought we’d ask what the general experience has been. Salary amounts have been converted to USD for the sake of consistency and refer to net…

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Even though traveling is currently limited worldwide, this month our cocktail column takes us to Japan to find the origin of this month’s cocktail choice: the Strawberry Sake cocktail.

This exquisite concoction combines the sweetness of strawberries, the acidity of yuzu juice and the exclusive fruitiness of a nice sake. These are the ingredients that you need for two servings…

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Q: Where can I find glass liners made for my open salt container (cruet)?

A: Pairpoint Glassworks will hand-blow liners in any color for open salts, ice buckets, casseroles, etc. They do excellent work and prices are very reasonable.

Q: Why can’t I remove a stain from my silver salver after serving a roast?…

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More magic created by the butler for guests. In the butler’s own words:

“Here are a few little things I made for guests in the last couple of days—fun for me, to be sure, but it is amazing how these little creations, which take very little time once you have mastered the techniques, routinely bring smiles to the guests and others.

“A lady guest staying in one of the suites left for a day and so I went on…

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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.

When most of the airwaves are taken up with the pandemic, I am not inclined to add to the noise and confusion. If knowledge is power, however, then ignorance is weakness, and I have two videos that will empower you, I am sure.

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The New York Times carried this photo recently, which was taken some time in the 1980s. Mr. Ivor Spencer, second from the left, front row, had an amusing drill for teaching proper carriage or bearing—the way a person stands or moves. This is vintage Sir Spencer (he was knighted by the Queen of England in later years), in that no self-respecting butler would be caught dead with a glass on his head; but if you wanted to teach students quickly how to walk upright and without a distracting or ungraceful…

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“Another great newsletter and I enjoyed the answer on ‘Continuing the correspondence with Alex’ with some great insights/history on the profession. “I wish I had sent you this Bar Butler photo earlier as it would have paired well with the BBQ Butler you mentioned. I saw the Bar Butler in our local supermarket in Mosselbay, South Africa.” RM

Ed: Glad you liked the interchange with the author about Batman’s butler—it was a fun conversation, and at the end of the series, we’ll link to his article…

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The next subject taken up was cloth, meaning the tablecloth and napkins (although the author says “if napkins are used,” which begs the question!). Table cloths generally had patterns woven into them, so it was important to have the patterns on the upside, not upside-down, facing the table. Where an object was depicted, the butler had to make sure the bottom of it was directed toward the bottom, not the head, of the table…

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Have you had to deal with staff who might be described as being dishonest or even criminal? If so, what were they doing that did not work well for the professional home environment?

In my 40 years of service, I have seen my fair share of unethical behavior. Over a decade ago, I worked in a home where the client, a 77 year old male, was…

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As the world’s speed seems to slow down due to almost indiscernible entities, butlers try to stay positive and focus their attention on ways of pleasing others. And one of those ways is, of course, concocting delicious mixes! In this month’s journey into the world of cocktails, I propose to use some uncommon cocktail ingredients to make something really special. On this occasion, then, we will produce a cocktail using black truffles and truffle essence…

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Sterling and plated silver have the advantage over other metals in that silver can kill or suppress the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, mold, and fungus. But to safely sanitize your silverware and jewelry, use 70% rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer (may leave a residue) applied with a cotton towel (not a paper towel), make-up pad, or cotton ball. Keep these products from coming in contact with porous components such as wooden handles and finials, ivory insulators, wooden coaster bases…

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This month we greet a newly graduated group of butlers from the Royal Holiday Island in the Maldives. Thank you all for your great commitment and energy.

All of us at the International Institute of Modern Butlers wish you a bright future full of success!

“I have never had a trainer who could explain things so easily—I learned a different way to live my life…

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A great picture showing the International Institute of Modern Butlers’ Vice President for Asia, Mr. Budi Prihardjanto, with the newly graduated butler team at the Royal Holiday Island in the Maldives.

Congratulations to all!

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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.

You may have started to notice news reports in the mainstream media about the Wuhan coronavirus, also referred to as CoVid-19. We have been following it for the last 5-6 weeks through independent media. The lack of verified information and the influence of political persuasions of one stripe or another make it hard to gauge the actual situation accurately. Certainly there is panic and confusion, as well as multiple actions taken that, in hindsight (or appearing obvious while events are unfolding, to anyone with two brain…

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Very little in the news about butlers this past month: the BBQ Butler is alive and well in the United States of America, and that’s about it…
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“I can relate to your wise message and I am grateful for the insight. Thank you. This definitely should be the tone for 2020. I believe it is only fair that people be given a chance: When I started as a Guest Relations Officer here, the news was not well received by some. But I proved myself to be more-than-capable in the following months. When I was then given the opportunity to become the first butler, the idea was sadly almost dismissed. Now, after throwing myself into self-development, I can say with pride…

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The idea of dinner service being the jewel in the crown of the butler’s duties has existed for centuries: “If one part of a servant’s business calls for greater attention than another, it is waiting at table; it is a branch, likewise, wherein he can show more of his ability than in anything else he may have to do, as many make great pretensions to cleverness in conducting a dinner, who yet never knew the first principles of properly waiting at table.” The author goes on in the same vein, faulting untrained butlers and footmen, and…

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This is a subject that, unless we are living in a tent in the middle of the Sahara desert, we have all experienced at one time or another. Thanks to those who were willing to share from a professional point of view. I know sometimes these subjects make butlers and household/estate(s) managers clam up for reasons of discretion, but if both butler and the person they are discussing remain anonymous, then no harm done, no foul, no penalty. Discussing this elephant in the room helps members know what to expect and how…

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As Spring is about to arrive in the northern hemisphere, the days are becoming longer and temperatures warmer. It feels nice to go out wearing fewer layers of clothing and even nicer to spend some time outside with friends and acquaintances, enjoying the clement weather. This month’s cocktail is one of the simplest one can find, as it only mixes a few very basic ingredients, but we are going to give it a creative final touch by adding a common garnish as well as an uncommon one. As I said, the recipe…

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It’s critical to retard both rot and the drying out of porous attachments such as ivory insulators, wooden handles, wooden bases on wine bottle coasters, etc. Staples Crystal Clear Wax should be used and applied with a soft, flat sable-type brush. Do this in a well-ventilated area. Paint a thin layer on the attachment then use a paper towel or cotton towel to buff the surface until hard to the touch. Repeat with a second and third coat. The wax should be fully cured within 24 hours—by that time, the solvent will have evaporated…

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Successfully cast by the butler and finished with gold powder—something to wow employers and guests at turndown or on a special occasion….
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On this occasion, we’ve received kind feedback from members of the butler department from the Royal Island Resort in the Maldives. To all of you, thank you for your commitment to the training and we wish you a future full of success!
“The trainer is very likable, first providing suggestions on how to manage areas of difficulty. He is understanding because he has experienced these kind of situations himself as a Butler, so he helps you not only like a friend, but also…

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The Royal Island Resort in the Maldives now has a team of newly trained star butlers! Here they are depicted with their trainer, the International Institute of Modern Butlers’ Vice President for Asia, Mr. Budi Prihardjanto. Congratulations to all!.
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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.

So we come to another leap year, one that you could celebrate perhaps with the Leap Year cocktail Mr. Vargas covers in his column this month. Anyone into the significance of numbers might be impressed with 20:20 pm on the 20th of February, 2020. Such moments do not come around very often and I will be sure to enjoy that Leap Year drink at that particular time, at my own birthday bash. Would that I were celebrating my 20th, but alas, that particular moment has passed 🙂 …

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An interview with the Chairman done a while back finally surfaces. Apart from the usual pronunciamentos by a certain ex-butler with an inflated sense of self-importance and a diminished sense of the niceties of butling, the past month in the media was marked by more abuse of the word “butler:”

1. Teddy Bear butler…

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“The show is more about the fantasy version of MI6 that is known to most Americans—James Bond, etc.—than the reality. If you don’t mind my asking, what was your experience with intelligence analysis? Not a big deal, just would be a nice detail for the story–you’re a real-life Alfred!” Ed: I’ll take that as a compliment. I agree on your analysis about the fantasy version of MI6. To answer your question, I analyzed a stream of information for a client in order to identify trouble spots, or conversely, good spots…

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Decanting has been a time-honored tradition for butlers, so no manual could be considered complete without covering the proper technique. Butlers two centuries ago poured the wine gently through a strainer with cambrick in it to catch crust and bits of cork from entering the decanter. Cambrick? A misspelling of Cambric, an area of France producing fine and dense cloth made of linen initially, later cotton.The advice on opening a bottle would not impress any butler, sommelier, or employer today: Place the bottle on the floor…

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75% of those surveyed have had to work with Family Offices. The successful approach, obviously, is collaboration and working to bring them up to speed on the delicate balances existing in private service, where these are missing in the Family Office personnel—and that does appear to be an issue that will result in conflict if not addressed. With the complexities of life today and the greatly expanded list of duties that butlers/household managers have, it would be impossible for them to manage everything as in the old days…

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As the New Year progresses, we arrive at a longer-than-usual February. Yes, 2020 is a leap year, which rewards us with an additional day this month for fun and cocktails! Did you know that there actually is a cocktail named Leap Year? It was created by barman Harry Craddock on the 29^th of February 1928 for the Leap Year celebrations at the Savoy Hotel in London where he worked, and was recorded for the first time in the 1930s cocktail compilation, The Savoy Cocktail Book. To prepare it you will need…

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This video shows how I polished a Paul Revere beaker using Earth Friendly Silver Polish,* cotton balls, and the occasional Q-tip.

The white translucent panel in front provides contrast, making tarnish easier to identify and remove completely. Total polishing time was 30 minutes because of the long-neglected surface. Removing tarnish that would have formed on these pieces over a period of six months may have taken only two minutes…

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More on the magic created for guests — creations that mirror their interests. Mr. Gutman is here experimenting with new materials and techniques.

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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.

In a world characterized increasingly by discourteous and divisive behaviour toward others based on unwavering ideas about how bad they are, it is probably a good idea to sit and look at these “evil people” until one has found twenty things that one has in common with them. One thing I have found in the rather many decades I have been bouncing around this planet, is that nobody is quite as bad as we may think they are, or they are painted by others. Let this be the tone for the year 2020!…

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Lovely article and video about an English butler in America.

A bizarre ad for a dog-carer in the West End of London, with a job description that is actually that of a butler who also has to look after the dogs—a new wrinkle on how to hire a butler at about a third of the going rate.

Needless to say, this month had the requisite announcement about a robot butler…

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“I thought of one more question, sorry to keep bugging you. Part of why I’m writing this is because a TV show Pennyworth is soon to premiere and it’s about Alfred’s days as an MI6 agent. You said that all of your prior work helped prepare you for the butler profession—I’m curious how being an intelligence analyst helped.”

Ed: Good question. I am neither vouching for MI6 nor its ability to analyze situations correctly—their use of logic and investigative technology is very…

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Luncheon posed some challenges that we still meet today, and some that we do not—such as the management of trays: Butlers were advised to refrain from putting too much on the trays before closing the hinged sides, in case a side burst open and items fell off. Then there was the difficulty of carrying trays laden with food and plates, etc. when climbing stairs so narrow that one might scratch the walls. Apparently, one should be careful not to place anything on these stairs, as fatalities had been recorded of unsuspecting…

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It seems assisting housekeepers when needed is a standard part of the modern butler’s duties—in line with the downsizing of household staffs a century ago that left the butler rolling up his sleeves and doing work previously covered by housekeepers and others. This trend was re-enforced by the new tools and equipment beginning to appear in households, such as dishwashers (1888) and vacuum cleaners (1905). And so today, what is it that butlers do particularly for the housekeeper in the spirit of teamwork? Cover weekends…

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As the holiday season comes to an end with the beginning of the new year, and indeed a new decade, we return to daily routines and most likely have a bag full of good intentions and resolutions – one of which can probably be found on the mind of more than one person: “This year I’m going to lose some weight!” In case you are one of those, you probably want to take a look at your intake, as well as at your active undertakings. Whilst I leave the second to you, here I propose a low-cal cocktail to keep you enjoying and amusing your palate, while…

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There are four major reasons for keeping prized sterling and silver-plate out of the “chamber of doom:” (1) Any factory-applied patina (the blackening in recessed areas) will eventually be removed; (2) The detergent’s aggressive chemicals, combined with the washer’s high temperature will eventually turn the silver grey or white and create a dull, non-reflective surface; (3) Most older, and some repaired, hollow-handled knives are filled with pitch. This cement will expand with heat, possibly forcing open a thin solder seam, or exploding the knife blade out…

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We say hello to the New Year with feedback from the new Nobu Hotel Los Cabos in Mexico, including some kind words from that property’s General Manager. To all of you, congratulations and best wishes for a successful 2020!

“First of all, congratulations for the great job you have done!”

I really thank you for coming to train our butler team and I am sure…

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To start the year on an optimistic note, we welcome on this occasion a group of butlers from the new Nobu Hotel Los Cabos in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. They stand ready to excel in 2020 and  beyond!…

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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.

What? Another year gone? How the time has flown! We have plenty of note to look back on this year, and I am sure you do, too. Another article has been published that might be of interest: What Happens When Quality Assurance Morphs into PR & Marketing? It is a challenge to impress upon hospitality managements that all the PR and marketing and social media positioning they ever needed would occur naturally by word of mouth if they would just focus on improving the quality of their service. For us butlers, it is so obvious…

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As bad as things may seem occasionally in the media today regarding our profession, they do not come close to the antics of one Mr. Frank Miller. It appeared he lured a homeless man to his death in 1896, so that his employers would regard him as a hero defending their house from a “burglar”—just so he could keep his job as a butler. Turns out he obtained his job based on a false “resume” and had no experience as a butler. A nice article about one of Etihad’s lady butlers. Another nice article about hospitality butlers…

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“I wish to express a huge thank you to both Modern Butlers and Mr. Herman! Thank you for having Mr. Herman in your monthly Journal. I’m a house manager taking care of a huge estate in Beverly Hills that has more silver and brass in it than any other house I have ever taken care of. I was at my wits end dealing with all this silver, I knew I needed to be able to appreciate it more and have some affinity for it. I contacted Jeff for a pep talk about how to go about taking care of all these precious metals. He was so gracious with…

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This is the sixth and final article in a series discussing foundational principles for the Butler’s Standards for Professional Performance. Mr. Ratliff will be focusing for the next two years on a project for his Church, the Church of Latter Day Saints. We thank him for his contributions and we wish him much success with his new project. Scenario: An innocent gesture, perhaps, but troubling nonetheless. A guest couple were leaving after a visit with the host family. In an effort to thank the butler for his part in the evening’s activities…

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Having covered the managing of F&B items, we’ll next take a look at the standards and expectations for the service of food and drink two centuries ago, starting with breakfast. Butlers were directed to “place green cloth on the table and then the linen cloth. If the linen cloth is too large for the table, turn it up under the green cloth.” Tea and coffee was served, with one staff person having the responsibility of making the tea or coffee, and having the usual cream jug, tea/coffee pot, sugar and tongs, placed conveniently…

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This month’s subject examines the butler and the chef, or having to be the chef, too.One third of the butlers surveyed have never had to cook, but the majority had the skill and were required to use it. All had had to work with chefs and manage them delicately. One butler had three chefs to prepare all meals for the employer, the staff, events, and for the employer’s aircrafts. This butler did, however, provide fruit preparation and an egg every now and then when serving breakfast. Another, while working as head...

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Thinking in sequences is an important skill for a butler and an important element in anticipating. 999: The number dialed in the UK when reporting an emergency. Definition of emergency: “A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.” Unexpected: A math problem be resolved in order to dial emergency services. Result? Two emergencies…

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As Christmas is approaching at a steady pace, it’s time to start making preparations for family gatherings during the holiday season. And of course, cocktails can be an important part of those gatherings. On this occasion, we suggest a variation of the classic and very Christmassy eggnog punch. Our suggestion is itself a variation of a Chocolate Eggnog recipe by famous chef Jamie Oliver that you can see by clicking here. These are the ingredients that you will need for about 8 servings…

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If you have purchased a silver object with a price label that won’t peel off, don’t reach for a scrubby pad or steel wool. Instead, try using a hair dryer on a LOW setting (a heat gun is too hot) to warm the label gently. The label should now peel off cleanly. Note: Never use a hair dryer on lacquered pieces. If the label leaves a sticky residue, wait for the piece to cool and try removing the glue with some hand sanitizer, canola oil, or olive oil on a cotton ball or make-up pad. If this fails, place a cotton…

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A few words from the butlers who attended the refresher training and the butler basics course performed by Mr. Amer Vargas at the beautiful Sofitel Legend Santa Clara in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, and from the management team and butlers at the Ungasan Clifftop Resort in Bali, in Mr. Budi Prihardjanto’s training in October/November…

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On this occasion, we welcome a number of new butlers and we greet again other butlers who attended a refresher training. Mr. Budi Pridharjanto visited the beautiful Ungasan Clifftop Resort in Bali, whilst Mr. Amer Vargas trained at the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara in Cartagena de Indias. To all of you, our best wishes for a life full with success and impressed guests!…

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We will be announcing a new VP Placement very soon — a professional who has extensive experience in household management at the highest levels, and knows how to find the right people for the job…

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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.

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