#sparkchamber 042224 — Dan the Butler
Restaurateur extraordinaire Danny Meyer noted that “Hospitality is almost impossible to teach. It’s all about hiring the right people.” And #sparkchamber has the right person here today as we welcome Dan the Butler. A modern-day butler — royal-household approved! — serving bespoke hospitality since 2007, Dan is on the scene to make life easier. He takes care of the day-to-day of the day, week, holiday, or celebration so his clients and their guests are free to just enjoy their time together.
A former theatre manager, Dan was encouraged by the late, great Joan Rivers to change course slightly and enable people to maximize their time with their loved ones — whether at home or holiday — by taking care of them with hospitality. “My first boss when I was 17 years old was an incredible human called Janet Edwards. She was a theatre manager and I used to watch her in awe in how she took care of nightly audiences of thousands whilst being in demand by all the staff and a Hollywood A-list celebrity cast at the same time. She taught me how to be invisible, never stealing focus whilst providing a high-level service to many without anybody having to ask for anything. Even now, many decades later I still ask myself what would Janet do?”
Dan works freelance and travels a lot for work — especially to the French Riviera and all over the UK. “I am constantly inspired by my surroundings. Many of the homes I work in are in rural areas, especially in France, so I like to make connections with all the local suppliers — from cheese-mongers to vintners to electricians and carpenters. And a lot of the homes I work in are in stunning locations so I like to bring the environment to the tablescapes I create for lunch and dinner. I am equally inspired by the private chefs I work with; to me they create the best art because you can eat it!”
Dan says that sometimes it’s quite hard to shake the comparison to the butler Carson from the TV show Downton Abby, “My job can cause a discussion when people think that’s who I am.” For sure, the career is intense and all-consuming, so Dan limits his time to a maximum of four weeks at a time per client.to ensure a good work/life balance.
His hospitality services are always on point, but his approach is more familial. “My sole focus has always been — and will always be — taking care of people. I always say taking care of people is my superpower, and in a post-pandemic world where privacy is the new luxury, the use of my services has risen exponentially from a broader range of people.”
1.] Where do ideas come from?
Simply joy. What can I do to make this person’s day a little better and then I go from there.
2.] What is the itch you are scratching?
As a freelancer, I am only ever in competition with myself so finding new ways to create is always really exciting which is driven by wanting my clients and their guests to have had the best experience I could have possible given them. I would also like to shine a spotlight on the hospitality industry as a whole and the wonderful directions it can take you — I once worked in a dockyard pub, behind the bar, [many years ago] and I still use those skills I learnt there today even when serving a formal Royal dinner.
3.] Early bird or night owl? Tortoise or hare?
All 4, at the same time! I am often the first person my client sees in the morning and last person they see before bed so to be able to carve space for myself I will be an early riser and enjoy the peace and quiet of the kitchen whilst I can but it’s also about being able to get prepared for the day without interruption. Once I hear other peoples’ voices I am pulled in a million directions so even setting a table for dinner that night at 6am is a massive help. The former theatre manager in me keeps my energy up as sometimes a big family/friends dinner can be like putting on a theatrical production with the first course being placed on the table mirroring the curtain going up on a play. No matter the hour, I will always take time at the end of the day to enjoy something, A glass of wine, a taste of that evening’s dessert or sending a message to a loved one.
4.] How do you know when you are done?
My body will tell me. I take so much pride in being able to take care of people, sometimes without them having to ask, that I need my brain to work at 100% all the time and when I am tired that does not happen. That is the reason why I have a 4-week ceiling per booking so I can take some Dan time and rejuvenate before my next client.
