Author name: Sonia Salcines

Several chess pieces on a table with a magnifying glass pointed at one of them.

Why update the DBS?

The DBS (DISCLOSE AND BARRING SERVICES) is the UK criminal background check. There are some important details about DBS such as What is the DBS? It is an official certificate that checks your criminal record to determine if you can work in certain jobs especially related to the care of children or vulnerable adults. How do you get DBS? Normally the employer requests the document on your behalf to know if you are fit to work in the care of children or vulnerable adults. In some countries it is requested by the employee himself prior to being hired. How much does it cost and who pays it? The price of the certificate costs about 44 pounds sterling. Despite processing it, the employer pays for it.. How to update the DBS? The DBS certificate does not expire but it is convenient to have it updated at least once a year. For this it is advisable to be registered in the DBS update service to avoid having to pay again for the certificate every time you change employer. Note that in some countries the DBS certificate expires within the established period so you will have to reapply and pay the corresponding fee again after that period. Why is it important to have it updated? More and more employers are requesting this document before employing a person especially when it comes to jobs related to childcare or elderly or vulnerable people. In some countries it is mandatory to have this document because without it you will not be able to be hired even is required to volunteer. If you need help or further information on this topic, whether you are a candidate or a client, we are here to help. Contact

a silver spoon, fork and knife on a plate and adorned with a flower

How to make the best silver service

Every time we read a review on the internet of a hotel establishment more than 75% of them are in reference to the service. It is more than clear that one of the key points of the success of an establishment is to have a professional and quality customer service staff to succeed. It is of no use to have an exquisite gastronomy but at the time of offering it something fails; long waiting time, lack of information about the dishes, bad gestures or even poor service, are failures that a professional waiter should not have. So, what qualities should we look at when hiring a professional butler? Commitment.- The waiter should always keep in mind that the sales in their workplace are directly related to their attitude towards the customer. Their job is not only to serve tables but to serve the client satisfactorily. Good communication. – The waiter will be in direct contact with the customer so it is essential to have a good service attitude, be friendly, know how to understand the customer’s needs and serve them so that the customer is satisfied. Something that never fails is a smile when it comes to customer service, it is something that is sought in every process of customer service selection. Resolutive.– A professional waiter should be proactive, think fast as he will have to solve any problem that arises with the client or attend unexpected requests quickly and effectively without losing the sKnow the menu. – A professional waiter will know the whole dish that will serve your guests; ingredients, preparation, Provenance to be able to attend all the doubts that comes to diners when choosing dish and even advise them if they have any questions about your choice of dish. Know the menu. – A professional waiter will know the whole dish that will serve your guests; ingredients, preparation, provenance to be able to attend all the doubts that comes to diners when choosing dish and even advise them if they have any questions about your choice of dish. Sommelier.- A good qualified waiter will have knowledge of wine which will make it possible to advise diners of a good drink to accompany their delicious dishes. Protocol.- A high-profile waiter should know the different ways of attending a table, how to speak to the customer, serve him correctly and ordered starting with the ladies and from left to right, serving from left and picking from right. Skill with trays and sauces. Remove the table in an orderly manner and always pending any demand from diners. Education.– You will always address your customers, you will never be called even if they are regular customers. Never lose to think that they are not friends, they are customers and we must serve them as such. In case of any mishap or issue that you did not know or could solve, you will call the room manager to solve it. You should never come into direct conflict with the customer. Languages.- Of course, a good professional waiter will be training in a language other than his or her mother tongue, since he or she will be in need of having to effectively serve clients of other nationalities. The most popular languages are English, Spanish, French, Arabic, German, Russian. Portuguese, Hindi, Turkish, Mandarin or even Japanese. Although it depends and varies a little from the type and specialty of the hotel establishment. Stress.- Every good waiter should be able to manage stress efficiently, many times are the rush of the service itself, high demands of customers to attend to them as soon as possible, all without losing the smile and positive attitude, Also the stress that is experienced in the kitchen should never pass into the room and be perceived by diners. Discretion.- The professional waiter of high level of service will always stay in the shade, serve customers efficiently always maintaining a completely discreet profile, which we understand being without being . These are some guidelines to keep in mind when hiring an exceptional professional waiter, we should not lose the good harmony between professionalism and the vocation of service which will make the enjoyment unforgettable and there will always be a view to return. What is the best cutlery to make a silver service? To make a good service of silver we must take into account both the crockery and the cutlery, although without forgetting the ornaments both with small pieces as the floral ornaments. In the case of tableware we can highlight the following: Porcelain tableware: It is a material highly appreciated both for its delicate appearance and for its beauty and resistance. It also has numerous advantages for use: Hygiene: Porcelain does not absorb odors or flavors as it is a vitrified material, as well as does not accumulate residue which makes it perfect when cleaning and disinfecting. Resistance: It is a very resistant material which means that we can keep it for a long time. Temperature conservation: It keeps the temperature long time for both cold and hot dishes which means that if you had to wait to serve it would still retain its temperature. Alpaca tableware: It is characterized by its high quality, beauty and lightness which will allow its use in a light and simple way. It has a color more similar to steel but of equal beauty. Tableware decorated in silver or platinum: They are usually made of porcelain and delicately decorated in silver or platinum which will raise the elegance of the table. Silver tableware: It is the most required material when it comes to a gala service, protocol and elegant. The silver is light and a little heavier. In case of cutlery we can highlight: Silver cutlery: Silver is highly appreciated both for its strength, durability and beauty. It also has the advantage that it always adds elegance to the table so it is very much required in formal and important events. It has easy maintenance and is resistant to use. …

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Woman butler holding a tray smiling

Benefits of hiring a female butler

In the vast world of luxury private service, one of the key figures has for centuries been the butler, typically considered masculine. Although with the change of times, more and more the female figure is being considered within this role, times are when needs and priorities have evolved and more and more the female figure of butler is present. There are several reasons why you might consider hiring a female butler: Personalization: It is one of the main reasons, more and more women are requesting a female butler to help them in their daily needs especially the lady of the house or traveling entrepreneur. Confidence: The perspectives of femininity can help increase the level of trust and a closer bond between female stewardship and female client. Feminine intuition: This is a broad point, from fashion, personal care and personal priorities the female butler can have a deeper empathy and understanding when attending to the needs of her female client. Privacy: With a female butler it is possible that the client feels more comfortable since the female butler will be with her in her more personal space and gives a feeling of more confidence to take care of her more personal needs of his female client. Personal relationship: Female Stewardship is masterfully related to all the staff of the house and in good tune with the lady which will have a much closer and personalized service especially in travel, shopping, childcare. Relationship with children: In general the care of the children will be in charge of the nanny but an experienced steward can provide extra care or collaborate in certain situations with the care of the children without any problem. The outfit of a female butler Without a doubt everything must be accompanied by an impeccable personal presence and usually wearing a complete and elegant waitress uniform, which is completed as follows: Formal costume: It would be composed of a black trousers, navy blue, grey marengo covering the ankles, without dragging on the floor, or skirt/ long-sleeved dress covering the knee, half-color or same color skirt/ dress, jacket normally the same color as the trousers, white long sleeved shirt tied to the collar, vest always lighter than the jacket, plain dark tie or diplomatic stripes, white gloves covering the wrist, black shoes can be style loafers or a very discreet heel. Time: If the service is done tomorrow, the color of the uniform may be lighter, like gray; instead if the service is done at night it should be dark or black. Gala service: In this type of service more formal and protocol you can make use of the bow tie, this garment is more elegant and gives a touch of distinction. It will be used black. There are two types of bow tie: Button bow tie:- They come already formed and easily fit the neck by means of a button or click, they are quick and comfortable to put on. Bow tie knot: These must do the knot at the time tied to the neck, requires more skill and time to put it although the result is more elegant. The same applies to ties. Personal appearance: A female butler will always use a good personal appearance, will use a discreet makeup and in natural tones, the hair should be collected simply so that it does not disturb the face and hair may fall when serving. You can use simple, small and discreet jewelry, not advised to use rings or bracelets to avoid trays with gloves or trays when serving. Good posture: A good female butler will maintain at all times a good body posture, erect, looking forward and with firm step while calm. She shall not rest on the mantel, nor arms folded, nor chewed gum, and shall always address the guests in medium tone. Undoubtedly hiring a female butler has numerous advantages, both for the demand of the needs of an entrepreneur and for the needs of a private home. We all like to meet a properly dressed service. If you need to fill a position of this type, we have experienced professionals who will provide you with the assistance you need. Contact

estate manager

Who is the Estate Manager and what is his/her role?

Hiring a private estate manager can be a fundamental decision for those who own large high-level properties and want to have a trusted person to help manage it, so here are some of the main reasons why you should hire a Estate Manager: They perform a comprehensive property management: that is, they are responsible for managing the entire organization and administration of the property, which includes all personnel management and supervision, coordination of tasks, schedules, rotations ensuring everything works properly across one or more properties. He will also coordinate all familyarrangements such as trips, events or any personal service that is needed. Multifaceted. It will be dedicated to carrying out all the administrative task, such as purchases, payments, personnel documentation. On many occasions there will be various events so you willhave to take care of all the planning of them which will lead you to have to manage both internal staff and contracted for that event, coordination of additional services, receive guests, manage any unforeseen events that arise until everything is finished. Remote location. Many of the owners have mansions in remote locations where they gowhen they want to rest and disconnect from the day to day which will make the Estate Manager will take care of the total operation of the property and everything is in perfect condition. Often with the help of the guardians of the farm they give domestic support throughout the year, sothe owner will not need to be aware of it. since this one will take care of everything. Communication. The Estate Manager must have good communication skills both with the owner and with all the staff as it will be an indispensable point for the management to flow correctly. Languages. Many owners own mansions in several countries and therefore staff of various nationalities so the Estate Manager should be able to communicate with them effectively which makes more and more Estate Manager are requested bilingual and even polyglot. The most requested languages besides English are Spanish, French, Arabic, Portuguese. Languages. Many owners own mansions in several countries and therefore staff of various nationalities so the Estate Manager should be able to communicate with them effectively which makes more and more Estate Manager are requested bilingual and even polyglot. The most requested languages besides English are Spanish, French, Arabic, Portuguese. Protocol. The Estate Manager must have training in customer service, administrativemanagement, without forgetting protocol since it will have to deal, on several occasions, with guests of high standing or leading personalities.  Confidentiality. The Estate Manager must maintain at all times a total discretion, both within the entire operation of the property and abroad preserving the privacy of the owner and family. Communication and languages: You must always have good effective and respectfulcommunication with the whole environment as you will be continuously surrounded by people from different backgrounds and cultures to which it would also be essential to speak more than one language given that you must communicate with people from many countries. Luxury: A Estate Manager must be familiar with some very high or luxury standards that must know how to maintain and manage with solvency. It must also make the rest of the staff maintain it. Time: the fact of having a Estate Manager allows the owner to have more time to dedicate to other facets of his life without having to be aware of the daily management of his property, will make the owner easier and more comfortable his life, This involves spending more time with your family, you just have to enjoy. Undoubtedly hiring a Estate Manager has multiple benefits and brings peace of mind to itsowner in the organization of their properties. If you need to fill a position of this kind, please do not hesitate to contact us. Contact

English service

Do you really know how many types of table service there are?

There are many queries that come to us in reference to the type of table service and staff that our clients would need to organize their events since there are still many who are not clear which of the ways to attend a table is the one they would need in relation to their needs and the type of personnel required. So we will try to give some clarity on this issue. There are several ways to attend diners during an event, depending on whether it is formal, informal, more private or massive so we will break down each type of service to have it a little clearer: American service It consists in taking to the table the plated food in its corresponding plate from the kitchen or room. It will be served on the right and with the logo of the dish in front of the diner. It will be performed by the waiter dedicated to serving the table and it is not necessary to be highly qualified as it does not have to interact much with the diner, it is almost limited to serving. It can be used for lunch or dinner depending on the time of the event. This type of service has the advantages of: Be quick, easy to serve and very efficient: It must be done in a coordinated way both by the waiters and the kitchen staff as it could happen that the food arrived cold at the table, also must reach all diners almost at once. It should also be removed at the same time and from the left side When arriving the food emplatada to the table in a proportionate ration produces less waste of food since the portions are served in kitchen in a measured way. It is very required in events with many diners for its speed and efficiency. It can also be adapted to both informal and formal events, required of some protocol. This type of service requires less staff in the room, since it comes all plated although it will need a reinforcement of personnel in kitchen. If there are many diners you will need the figure of the Head of room being responsible who will be giving the guidelines at all times. The American service does not require a highly qualified staff, since interaction with the diner is minimal. Some of its disadvantages are: Lack of coordination. There must be a perfect harmony between the waiters and the kitchen staff so that everything is used at the same time and removed to the room at the same time because it could cool the food in addition to taking into account that all diners should eat at the same time. More informal. Despite being widely used this method for its speed is considered less formal or elegant, less protocol. The food preferences of diners are limited: In the event that a diner needs the need to change dishes this will disturb the service because you have to go back to kitchen and order change of dishes to go back to room which will do quickly and discreetly. At all this drinks will be served in advance, will be on the table merely necessary utensils and if any requirement is needed will be solved as quickly as possible to not alter the rhythm of the room. English service In the English service the way to proceed changes. The waiter will take the food to the table in a tray with capacity of about 10-12 plates and will serve the diner from the left side with some tweezers or spoon and fork as a clamp to each guest with dexterity and agility. It will start with the host and continue on the left. It is very popular to use this type of service in events of many diners for its speed, effectiveness and order. This service has such advantages are: Fast and effective: The waiters when carrying the trays can quickly serve the diners, will serve in the center of the dish the main food and the side garnish. Care should be taken if there are sauces or liquid foods so that they do not spill. Like the diner: because it sees directly what the waiter serves on the plate and there is more interaction. Faster in kitchen: since they only have to serve the trays to send to room, this implies the need not to reinforce the staff for plating in the kitchen since they serve it directly the waiters. Some of the disadvantages are:  More staff cost: More staff will be needed for the attention of the room since the waiters must serve quickly and efficiently diners. Specialized personnel. – More trained and trained personnel will be required since they will have to serve properly and interact in some way with them. Dexterity and effectiveness. – The waiters must serve with dexterity, agility and speed the food from the trays while being careful not to burn or stain the diners. Serve on the left with the tray in the left hand and with the tongs in the right hand. You do not choose the food: the diner should settle for what is served on the plate, you will not be able to choose. All dishes will be removed at the same time and from the right starting from the host. Russian service Or also called Gueridon Service, it is a service form more technical and formal, usually used in table of few diners and accommodates very well to celebrate something special. It is characterized because the preparation and emplatado is made directly in front of the diners by the chef or cook in charge. It is made on an auxiliary table, light and easy to move, which is placed in front of the table of the diners so they can see it well. They incorporate wheels for easy handling, called gueridon, which are equipped with everything necessary, such as stoves, utensils, plates, trays, glasses and usually decorated; …

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hire a nanny

Why hire a nanny

We live in an increasingly stressful society, with little time on many occasions, to devote to the care of what we love most, our children, so more and more parents are requesting the services of a nanny to take care of their care while they are away for work or simply work from home but they also need a reinforcement with the care of the small. All require exceptional, professional yet flexible and multifunctional babysitting service to take care of your children. Here are the main reasons to hire a professional babysitter: Tranquility.- The most important thing when hiring a nanny is to know how to choose well since it will become the person you trust to take care of your children while you dedicate your time to professional activities. One of the most important things is to take into account the career path of vocational training and it will be of great value to have someone with specific training in the care and teaching of minors, in addition to providing them with good close care, creating a positive and healthy environment for the well-being of your children. It is also important that the nanny is compatible with the affinities and tastes of the family to make it easier for everyone to focus on the same common goal, the care of the youngest. Educational support. – Having a professional babysitter will not only help you with the care of the little ones in the tasks of care, laundry of the children or kitchen, Creating routines will also be a strong support in academic teaching as it will help them in their post-school tasks safely, reinforcing their knowledge and learning new ones through games. It will be important to be able to maintain a temperament of serenity, while knowing how to deal with stressful moments.Many are parents who request bilingual nannies for at the same time as they grow up they will learn a language other than their mother tongue in a natural way thus expanding linguistic knowledge. The most popular languages are English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Portuguese and even Russian. So your children will learn another language which will be very positive when they are older and can relate better with people from other countries and other languages. Flexibility and personalized attention. – A professional nanny must be flexible with the requirements in family schedules, must adapt at every moment or reach an agreement on schedules or possible unexpected situations that may arise within the family so that the whole family environment takes an orderly model. In addition, if the family travels frequently, the nanny can accompany them on their travels providing support and help with the little ones no matter where they are. What requirements must a professional babysitter meet? A professional nanny is distinguished by different qualities among which it is worth highlighting: Teaching vocation. – It is important that the nanny demonstrates her taste and affinity for the care and teaching of children, since this will be responsible for their care in your absence. Professional and responsible– The babysitter must act at all times in a professional and responsible manner as she will have to be able to handle different difficult situations that can occur efficiently, safely and reliably. Communicative and affectionate. – You must have a good communication ability not only with children but with their parents because you will have to be in constant communication with them in relation to their well-being without forgetting that it is warm in a way that creates a serene and affectionate by creating a harmonious bond. Fun and positive. – A positive and fun attitude is essential, thus creating a closer bond with children without forgetting authority when necessary. Polite and respectful. – It should be to show education and respect for family members and their environment as well as their customs and family habits which will make the family environment healthy and positive for all. It is clear that hiring a nanny for your home has clear benefits for the care of your children in addition to being able to count on someone who will become part of the family. Contact

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