My understanding on white gloves and butlers is quite different, and ties in with Mr Rick Fink’s opinion. Having spoken years ago to my father, about white gloves, he had started as a footman, spent time as a batman in the army, and later became a butler, this is another viewpoint.

Only a few household staff wore white gloves, a footman was one of them.

I love knowledge, it is fascinating. I’ve always had a curious mind, so research comes easily to me. Years ago, when I was studying Catering and Hospitality, it was my first experience of ‘Silver Service’. I learnt that it was the clever use of a large spoon and fork for purposes of transferring food from a platter to a diner’s plate, always from the left side. I never really questioned it, as I was lefthanded and found it quite easy, once I had mastered actually holding and manipulating the cutlery.

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At the top of her profession as a trainer for the worlds elite, Josephine Ive tells us about a life of service and why only your

father would be more trustworthy than the hired help!

When you ‘butle’, your life revolves around your employer or your guest. You get up in the morning way before your guest

or employer is awake, and you are most likely still awake an hour after they have gone to bed.

It is no secret that it is hard work as a butler, there is only one way to make it easier and that is to plan ahead and be well-prepared, that way if something either goes wrong or comes up you are ready to take it in your stride.

So how does Magnums Academy prepare butlers for the rigours of modern day butlering and what advice can be given? –

Josephine Ive

Firstly, butlers are expected to fulfill all demands as best as possible, no matter how eccentric, peculiar or challenging. If a

guest wants champagne at 1:30 in the morning, a black tie dinner at 5am, a steak sandwich on white bread at midnight or

caviar on white toast for breakfast, then so be it. It’s your job as a butler to organize and deliver, completely without

judgment.