The Starkey International Butler Academy
Where Butlers Find Their Careers
Starkey in its 40-plus years of service training for high-end Butlers and Household Managers around the world has learned that technical skills are about 40% of what “would be” Butlers need in order to establish a long-lasting career in service. Psychological training and proper positioning are essential as they’re 60% of the needed knowledge to create successful careers. The Starkey butler academy is run by experts in the field of home management.
“The Giving and the Receiving of Service is an art form that is recognized, acknowledged, and greatly valued by the High-Net-Worth on a world stage.”
M. Starkey, Founder Starkey International
Starkey Butler Academy and Educational Household Management Training
- Technical skills include: Administratively identifying and understanding Clients’ and Guests’ expectations
- Etiquette and Protocol in receiving Clients or Guests and daily operations.
- A keen eye for detailed observation of Housekeeping priorities and delivery, Product knowledge, functional Housekeeping Service Plan.
- Overall understanding when Client or Guest requests entertaining from formal service to a casual experience: Venue/Location, Table Settings and Style of Service, Order of Service and Timing, Culinary Preferences and allergies, Alcohol expectations and Service Presentation, proper Wine and Champagne service, Numbers of Guests, Service support during and final Cleanup!
- Psychological Understanding of Service:
- Why am I in Service?
- What is my unique Style of Service?
- Cultural interactions and gender etiquette?
- What is the appropriate Language of Service?
- How does one think as a Butler?
- What is “the look” of the professional Butler?
- Appropriate Boundaries and Behaviors in Providing Service?
Mr. Xavier Medecin
Director of Education/COO
Certified Household Manager; Certified Professional Butler
Born in Menton, France, and raised in Monaco, Mr. Medecin grew up in a family of restaurateurs. His first official position after studying hotel and restaurant management as a young man was at the service of the Royal Family, Princess Grace, and Prince Rainier of Monaco. His career has spanned from working with well-known businessmen to Heads of State in Europe, China, and Africa. He has served as a butler throughout the world in private villas and on-board mega yachts have opened and trained in luxury hotels and have owned renowned restaurants in San Francisco, California. A graduate of both Starkey and The International Butler Academy in the Netherlands, where he also taught, he comes to Starkey in charge of international development and Director of Education with 35 years of hospitality, butlering, education, and service management knowledge paired with entrepreneurial expertise that few in the service profession can parallel.
Mrs. Mary Louise Starkey
Founder and CEO
B.S. in Community Services Development
Mrs. Starkey, known as the “First Lady of Service,” created the Denver-based Starkey International Institute for Household Management and butler academy, thus professionalizing the Private Service industry. She is a dynamic and passionate educator, public speaker, and a natural storyteller. She freely shares her knowledge and mentors clients in identifying and creating their “Vision for Service.”
Mrs. Starkey provides on-site consultations to private estates, clubs, hotels, and businesses to identify their Service Visions, customize their Style of Service, and develop Service Management plans.
Starkey Butler Certification
Starkey comes to the Client or Hotel to provide training on-site. At The Starkey International Institute, we understand that professional Butlers must take on the look and be comfortable in the Service Environment to be successful.
A Starkey Butler Certification is known worldwide and is provided at the successful conclusion of Starkey training.
Hotels and Private Villa’s where Starkey has “Made a Difference”
The historic Brown Place Hotel in Denver refers to us as their western retreat house. Starkey-trained butlers are provided education in formal tea, high-end restaurant service, and Etiquette and Protocol.
Esperanza Hotel and Resort and Spa, Esperanza, An Auberge Resort in Cabo St Lucas, Mexico Butler, and Housekeeping Services multiple times
Marrakesh Morocco, Hotel “The Secret Garden Villa”: Trained 27 Butlers and Housekeeping and Entertaining
Monaco, Monte Carlo, The Hotel Metropole created a high-end Butler Academy Service for their Presidential Suites
China, Chengdu, established The Butler Academic for the High ends Real Estate Company with over 30 Butlers
China training for the Government of Ch7 China of 100’s of companies serving residences throughout China
Versailles Residence, Beijing, China. Training to Excellence trained 15 staff Butlers
Sandalwood Private Resort, Premiere Butler Service in Shanghai, trained 12 staff Butlers
Yachting Industry: Created Butler Service, with entertaining and housekeeping services on board Mega Yachts
La Compagnie Du Ponant (French): World-leading luxury Yacht Expeditions Created Butler Service for Multiple ships
Anguilla in the British West Indies; Butler and Housekeeping training for multiple Private Villa’s
The Paris Ritz, Paris France: trained Service Staff member in charge of Service, Marie Claude Metrot
US Military, Camp David trained Presidential Butlers
US Air Force, Air Force One, and Air Force Two, trained food service staff
US Military Enlisted Aide Programs, all four branches; have been training these Military members who serve flag officers, Admirals, and Generals since 1998
U.S Estates and Homes performed 100’s of Private Trainings on-site for private staff; Butlers, Housekeepers, and Household Managers since 1990.
