What is a Green Butler?

Issue No. 41

February 2011

It is with great excitement that Marilyn Denis started her new daily TV show on January 10th and I was invited to participate. So far I've learned an awful lot about television and the amount of time it takes to prepare and film. I have known Marilyn for sometime now since I also appear on her radio show "Roger, Darren & Marilyn" on a regular basis. For those of you outside Canada we will have my appearance segments posted on our website & blog, but it is just taking some time to organize from a technical perspective. So please be patient and we will let you know as soon as it is up and running.

As many of you know, the United Kingdom will be having a Royal Wedding on April 29th. Canada, as a member of the Commonwealth is starting to prepare for the wedding and there is lots of excitement in the air. I was recently speaking with a group of friends who are all flying to London just to be in the city for the wedding. They are not invited, but want to experience the excitement of a Royal Wedding as Prince William will most likely be King one day.

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, February can be a long, cold month. Spring, however, is only +/- 6 weeks away, and I can't wait to be back on my bicycle in the fresh air and out of the stale air of the gym. For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope you are keeping warm, and for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere I hope you are enjoying your summer, and please send it to us as soon as you are done!

As always, best to everyone!

Charles MacPherson

President

The Green Butler

We were excited to see one of our Hotel Butler graduates in the news. Below is the article:

Green Butler

From www.dare2mag.com

With the re-opening of the Savoy hotel last month came a number of innovative ways that the luxury hotel is attempting to be more eco-conscious.

One of their inspired ideas was Nicolas Ollivier, the Green Butler whose job it is to share with guests all his knowledge of what The Savoy and London has to offer the eco-conscious tourist. We managed to grab him for a few moments for a chat about the re-launch and everything eco in London.

Nicolas, this is certainly an innovative job. How did you come to be the Green Butler at The Savoy?

I am deeply passionate about environmental issues and being able to incorporate responsible practices in a positive way at work as well as at home is the perfect job for me.

I heard about The Savoy's green initiatives when I was interviewed about becoming a butler (previously I had been working at The Wolseley, London). Working as a Butler at The Savoy is a great privilege, especially as we have just reopened after a major restoration. I heard about The Savoy's green initiatives and was anxious to see how I could get involved.

Dusting Do's and Don'ts

Greg Kelley
Antique Furniture Consultant
Instructor at the Charles MacPherson Academy for Butlers and Household Managers

When it comes to looking after antique furniture, few people are more knowledgeable than Greg Kelley who is also an instructor at the Academy. Below are 6 of Greg's "Dusting Do's and Don'ts":

Do regularly dust with a soft, dry or very slightly damp cloth
Do use soft brushes for dusting carvings and gilding
Do wax furniture, which has a history of being waxed, once a year with a good quality paste wax
Do not dust with feather dusters -- they catch lifting veneers
Do not use oil polishes -- they attract dust
And most importantly, do not use spray polishes -- they contain silicates

Miele at International Design Show

As you may know we are proud to have Miele as a sponsor of the Butler School. Recently I was invited to participate with Miele at the International Design Show in Toronto. As you can see from the picture, the Miele laundry booth was a real design standout.

Miele.ca

Gilberto Bojaca - Academy Instructor

Gilberto Sommelier, Gilberto pioneered the simplification of wine appreciation for the consumer with the development of "The One Hour Wine Experience" wine seminar. Gilberto is an avid researcher of wine service and hospitality, broadening his knowledge through his travels to the major wine regions of the world and his interactions with leading wine principals.wine educator and certified sommelier, is well recognized in the hospitality and wine service industry. Throughout his career, he has held senior positions in prestigious establishments in Canada and the United States. Now as an entrepreneur, he shares his expertise with consumers and industry professionals through his consulting practice, VinSense.

Founder, Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS)
Founding Member and Past President, Sommelier Guild of Canada

Academy Staff

How to serve Breakfast in Bed, Butler-Style

I have the pleasure of appearing regularly on the Marilyn Denis Show. One of the most recent segments in preparation for Valentine's Day was how to serve breakfast in bed, Butler-style. I had a lot of fun doing the segment. I hope you'll enjoy it as well.

View Link

For those of you outside Canada, we will be posting the video on The Butler Speaks.

Savoy Butler on Paul Burrell and more

While we disagree with the violent remedy, we do understand why a breach of the butler's code of ethics can be so upsetting to a professional butler. In the Daily Telegraph article titled "Indiscreet Butlers such as Paul Burrell 'should be shot', says Savoy Hotel's head servant", Sean Davoren speaks of Paul Burrell and working at the venerable Savoy Hotel:

Sean Davoren, the luxury London hotel's head butler, criticised the behaviour of Diana, Princess of Wales' former servant for divulging details of her private life in the years following her death.

Instead, butlers should be the epitome of class and discretion, generally be seen and not heard and be available at a moment's notice for even the most bizarre of requests without "batting an eyelid."

Mr Davoren, who has been serving the world's rich and famous for 30 years, has given a rare glimpse inside the luxury world that butlers see every day - but never tell of.

"I'm a great believer that the Paul Burrells of this world should be shot, because it's a very personal service that we give to guests," the 52 year-old told the Radio Times ahead of a ITV two-part documentary featuring his work.

"You should be able to ask me for anything, however personal that might be, and I should give you that confidence back that I wouldn't bat an eyelid."

DEMA in Los Angeles

DEMA logo On January 26th the Domestic Estate Managers Association hosted their first ever DEMA Townhall Meeting in Los Angeles California. This was another first for the Private Service Community! The purpose of the event was to provide a platform for our members and the industry to have a candid discussion about Domestic Placement, the challenges that exist today and the future of the industry. Our panelists provided more insight on these topics in hopes to create better communication between everyone related to our industry during our question and answer forum.

DEMA in LA 4 The four participating Domestic Placement Agencies were Charles MacPherson Associates, Distinguished Domestic Services, The Help Company and Precise Home Management. Mr. MacPherson gave the opening remarks and kicked off the event with a Bang!

Amongst the ninety attendees were sixty-five Private Service Professionals and over a dozen Placement Agencies.

To view videos of the event please visit the DEMA Facebook page:

The Domestic Estate Managers Association was created to provide a forum for Private Service Professionals and certified service vendors interested in better serving and protecting the best interests of their clients. The fundamental purpose of the Association is to provide continuing education and raise industry standards. You can join via this link,and gain access to local meetings, educational materials, webinars and a network of individuals striving to make a difference in the industry.

Watch Charles speak at The Butler Speaks.

Chef Matt's Recipe