"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." The reailty of Household Service

Recently I was contacted by a number of chefs looking to enter household service and looking for advice. They have told me the difficulties they had with agencies, getting let down at the last minute etc. Unfortunately, this is part of the game and it happens all the time. It happened to me just last week.

In the early days, I was giving a booking in North Yorkshire. The full details of the client's needs address and telephone number had been handed over to me but I couldn't reach the client via telephone. I contacted the agency and was told to continue to make my way to Yorkshire. I was driving up from London. On arrival, the client told me the job been cancelled two days previous. As for the Agent, well she basically denied the booking was ever confirmed and did not want to know any more about it etc. This supposedly one of the top recruitment agencies in London! So you have to prepare yourself for this because it will happen to you time and time again. Principals can cancel plans at very short notice. For example, dinner is set for 7 pm but they show up at 1 am and you have to produce the same quality food & service. You have to be flexible, good at your job, be dedicated and discreet and for some jobs, be on hand day and night. Butlers, House Managers, Housekeepers & Estate Managers all have these pressures.

I was working in a household outside London. We had two new butlers who had both done butler courses work with us. Three days after starting they left. The long hours and hard work encroached on their private lives.

That's how it is in this world. Before you enter, ask yourself 'can you last in a high paced pressured, unforgiving environment'?

James Hunt

Click here for my interview with the FT.com Financial Times