Message from the Chairman
by Steven Ferry
Another substantial newsletter, so I’ll keep this message short again. As the humor offered in the last message proved popular, here is another to offset all the serious stuff in this month’s MBJ. Looking for the collective noun for various professions, finds: a brace of orthopedists, a joint of osteopaths, a rash of dermatologists…
Butlers in the Media
by Steven Ferry
Ever heard about Paul Burrell? He is back, once again willingly forgetting about keeping someone else’s privacy. Also, hear about another “brilliant” invention of a hotel in Ireland, the “Limerick Butler”, how far a particular butler can go on illegalities, and more about butlers and robots.
Letters to the Editor
A short yet very interesting letter from a butler who asks for guidance about a subject related to looking for new work adventures and challenges, and finding a replacement for his position.
How far and long do the rights of the employer go? Let’s find out!
Professional Standards of Performance: Applications #4: Bodily Essence
by Prof. Richard Ratliff
Scenario: We need not look far to find a butler neglecting his physical condition—perhaps a little slow of step, taking sick days more often than otherwise needed, not quite up to par many days. Nothing too serious, perhaps, but noticeable. On the other hand, the problem may be more serious, even…
The Wisdom of Butlers Past
by Steven Ferry
Based upon the refusal by some employers to provide suitable work clothes for dirty chores, and insisting that staff have just one suit for all duties—and then firing them if they turned up dirty to their other work—the author counsels that butlers pick their employers carefully so as to avoid such injustices…
The Butlers Speak: Job Titles and Duties
by Steven Ferry
Household Manager, Personal Assistant, Estate Manager, Butler, Valet… Today we present an interesting set of statistics showing the different titles butlers (and his/her counterparts) hold, as well as the most common duties they perform, from greeting guests to housekeeping, and their different workloads.
Book Review of Serving The Wealthy: The Role of the Butler and the Principal’s Wines, Ordering Wine and an Easter Egg…
by Gretchen dePillis
Since the original duties of the “cup bearing” butler included maintaining the wine cellar, it is logical to assume that the butler must also know how to serve the beverage! For a quick at-a-glance reference, do keep Serving the Wealthy Appendix 10A in Volume 2 at your fingertips. It is found on page 295 of…
Creative Corner: Origami Butterfly
by Kobi Gutman
In this month’s Creative Corner section, Head Butler and Modern Butlers Journal contributor Kobi Gutman guides us on how to make an origami butterfly. Origami is the well-known Japanese art of paper folding. Origami paper is square and comes in various colors, patterns and finishes. We can use this art…
Let’s Talk Mixology, Part 30: The Bali Hai
by Amer A. Vargas
This month, we travel to Bali to enjoy the classic Bali Hai. The name, although evoking the paradise of this region in Indonesia, actually owes its origin to the Bali Hai restaurant in San Diego, California, which opened its doors in 1955, and created this sweet and tangy concoction all butlers should know how to prepare…
Consulting the Silver Expert: Cleaning and Polishing Silver, Part 10
by Steven Ferry
Actually, this month’s entry, and next month’s, is not from Mr. Herman, but are examples of the magic his proprietary silver polish works on some silver we own. A decade ago, the butlers at The Plaza hotel in Manhattan, New York, were kind enough to have some cufflinks engraved locally and presented…
New Product for Households and Hotels: OneWipe by OneMop®
If you’ve used microfiber cloths, which we have recommended in the past, you’ll know that they clean very well and easily. A new product on the market, OneMop® and OneWipe system uses microfiber refill pads and the OneWipe microfiber cloths to reduce water consumption by up to 99%, without…
Recent Hospitality Graduates
This month we send greetings from the heart of the Seminyak district in Bali, where the Seminyak hotel is about to re-open with an improved housekeeping and wait staff team, as well as its wonderful butler service in the villas. We at the IIMB wish you all the best!
Training Path Choices
Training at the front end of any career, and ongoing until the day we retire, at least, is a given for butlers and household or estate(s) managers today. In the old days, the only training route was on-the-job training and apprenticeship that was hands-on heavy, light on theory, and limited in scope. The results…
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.