Overseas Network 2015-03-20 15:25:58
The only foreign-run housekeeper school in China started teaching last year. (Photo source: AFP)
Overseas Network, March 20 Anyone who has watched the British drama "Downton Abbey" will probably be impressed by Carson, the butler in the drama. He is wearing a straight tuxedo, his hair is combed brightly, and his attitude is meticulous, which is awe-inspiring. In fact, with the increasing number of Chinese rich people and the driving role played by the widespread dissemination of British culture in China, private housekeeper services have gradually become popular in China.
AFP published an article on the 18th to report on China's private butler service. The full text is excerpted as follows:
Alvin Hu (transliteration)'s dream is to become a private butler of China's top wealthy man, but before realizing his dream, he needs to face huge challenges. He needs rigorous training every day, wearing white gloves on both hands and holding dinner plates of colorful blocks piled up high.
With the rising demand for private housekeeper services by Chinese wealthy people, China's only foreign-owned housekeeper school officially opened last year. The school’s housekeeper’s course is six weeks and costs up to 40,000 yuan. Hu Aiwen is one of dozens of students. He said, "Looking at the world, there are more and more wealthy people, and this is especially true in China. The rich people in China hope that someone can help them with some trivial matters."
Students at China International Butler College conduct various trainings every day, including polishing silverware, ironing a wrinkled piece of cloth into a tablecloth, preparing the right tableware for an eight-course banquet, etc.
In a link that tests the stability of both hands, Hu Aiwen walked towards the Swiss instructor with a plate of plastic toys representing food. The latter frowned when he saw the plastic ball tilted a little. Afterwards, Hu Aiwen used a silver knife and a spoon to put an oversized building block on the instructor's plate. "Thank you," said the Swiss teacher.
According to Hu Aiwen, the monthly salary of a private housekeeper can generally reach 20,000 yuan, so studying this course is a worthwhile investment.
A student from the housekeeper school is practicing checking the exact distance of tableware. (Photo source: AFP)
The image of the British drama housekeeper has aroused the appetite of the Chinese people
According to Hurun Wealth Report, in China, the number of wealthy people with assets of more than US$1.6 million has exceeded 1 million, and this number will continue to soar in the next few years.
Thomas Kaufmann, dean of China International Butler College, said, "In the past few years, China has had a growing demand for private butlers. Therefore, it is logical for us to open a butler school in China. It is easier to train a Chinese to become a qualified butler than to train a Westerner to master the Chinese language and culture."
China's elite group's history of hiring servants can be traced back centuries - eunuchs who served in the palace and had high status and power. However, the image of the British butler on the screen covers the butler's business with a new layer of luxury.
In fact, the housekeeper has a long history in Western books and movies, from Jules Verne's "Passepartout" (a character in "Eighty Days Traveling the Earth"), to Sir Pelham G. Woodhouse's "Jeeves" series, to Alfred Pennyworth, the character in the movie "Batman". However, what really aroused the appetite of the Chinese people was Carson, the butler in the British drama "Downton Abbey".
Kaufman said, "Downton Abbey is so famous in China, so this is also our standard for measuring (stewards).
The monthly salary of a private butler is expected to reach 20,000 yuan. (Photo source: AFP)
Real estate commercial butler service attracts customers
China International Butler College is located in Chengdu, southwestern China. It is a branch of the Dutch International Butler College, but it has also received the support of a Chinese real estate developer. As competition in China's real estate market is becoming increasingly fierce, more and more Chinese real estate developers are beginning to provide housekeeping services to potential customers.
Not far from China International Butler College, a billboard in a newly built residential area has a portrait of a man in a suit, bow tie and smiling, and promises to bring "elegant British butler service to daily life".
Speaker Pu Yan (transliteration), a spokeswoman for Chengdu Langke Real Estate, told AFP, "We provide a butler for every single-family villa, and the customers are very happy."
Shi Chunming is the founder of another Chinese butler company, Sinobutler. He said he recently signed cooperation agreements with several real estate companies.
Last year, the price index of new homes in 100 major cities in China fell for 8 consecutive months. However, Kaufman said that the decline in housing prices has brought unexpected benefits to China International Housekeeper School. He said, "Now that houses are becoming more and more difficult to sell, and customers are asking for higher requirements, so real estate companies need to provide more services to customers. This is actually a good thing for us."
However, behind the increasing popularity of private butler services, there are also some unreliable butlers. Some real estate developers engage in false advertising and hire butlers to serve in the sample rooms to attract customers. "When the sales office closes, the housekeepers will be gone," Kaufman said.
A butler school student is practicing serving with plastic blocks representing food. (Photo source: AFP)
Private housekeeper training is strictly as strict as "one centimeter"
China International Housekeeper College is located in a villa. The decoration style of the villa is similar to the luxury house where students go to work after graduation.
The courses every morning start with cleaning and placing kettles and other utensils. The utensils should be placed in the correct position. One centimeter difference means failure. Students should squat down to place the banquet table, squint their eyes to measure the precise spacing between forks, and use a ruler to measure the correct distance.
But they still haven't met Kaufman's strict standards. He kept telling students, "How can you place tableware like this?" "Why? Are you not listening? You don't measure it at all, you have to measure it!"
Chinese student Chrissy Yan (transliteration) said that training is "very hard, especially the table setting." But her ideal was not defeated. "I want to lead a Chinese butler team to become famous all over the world."
Kaufman said that after being hired, the butler's responsibilities also include many daily affairs, such as "taking groceries, walking dogs, organizing cleaning staff, wiping furniture and shoes, etc.".
Like most students, although they are very young, Hu Aiwen also has some experience as a housekeeper. He once served as a housekeeper for American casino tycoon Steve Wynn and others, with duties including helping the boss erase fingerprints on his phone and picking out his favorite chocolate from the grocery container. Hu Aiwen said: "You have to think about and take care of every detail."
However, Hu Aiwen also said that serving the rich is a pleasure and believes that the certificate issued by the school can improve his employment prospects. "Now the housekeeper not only serves wealthy families, but also serves multinational company bosses. These people are successful people, and they can make these people feel relaxed and happy, and I feel very accomplished."
