Butler boom has arrived in China
There has been a surge in demand among China’s wealthy for Western-trained butlers, with many academies seeing large portions of their graduating classes hired by Chinese families or companies. To meet this growing demand, The International Butler Academy China - the country’s only foreign-run butler school - opened a year ago.
A butler in the White House Butler's Pantry (the USA)
But it's a steep learning curve for China's wannabe butlers.
Before they put on their white gloves and get down to the nitty gritty of table setting, suitcase packing and silver service, they must master what many might consider a more fundamental task.
The Anshun Bridge in Chengdu, the city where the International Butler Academy China is located
Said Christopher Noble, head of training at The International Butler Academy China,
"The first we thing have to teach is using a knife and fork. We use them every day but to them it's inherently foreign."
An offshoot of The International Butler Academy, based in the Netherlands, the year-old school in the city of Chengdu hopes to cater to the growing ranks of China's super rich and their fascination with the old-money trappings of European aristocrats.
A table setting may have many elements, especially on formal occasions
The training starts with how to smile, stand and even personal hygiene. The course is almost identical to that offered in the Netherlands but is tweaked for China - students learn how to choose a good Chinese liquor, serve Chinese food and tea.
A Chinese tea table with accessories
Many students struggle when they first arrive -- the intricacies of setting a table for a formal dinner table can seem bewildering -- and the language gap can cause difficulties.
Explained Noble,
"I can put a cup of tea in front of you very elegantly but there has to be passion, grace and a style to it and that's hard to explain in words."
New graduates can expect to earn $31,500 yuan a year (or $6800 in Singapore currency) while highly skilled and English-speaking butlers can easily earn triple that.
Photo showing serving chopsticks (gongkuai) on the far right, personal chopsticks (putongkuai) in the middle, and a spoon. Serving chopsticks are usually more ornate than the personal ones
And don’t expect a slowing economy to dent demand for what's perhaps the ultimate personal service. A marketing professional sees no reason why China's super rich shouldn't embrace butlers especially as they move away from more conspicuous consumption. Said the seasoned specialist,
"It's a different way of projecting your image and wealth to have someone cater to your every need."
(All images - credit: Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licence)
