All courses take place at Ditchley Park in Oxfordshire, one of Southern England’s finest country houses. 

The Butler Valet school opened in 2002 and offers the highest standards of training. The various courses include everything you could possibly need to know about how to be a world class butler or valet. From laying a table, serving food and wines, cellar control, cleaning silver and jewellery, taking care of clothes and footwear, packing suitcases, butler pantry duties, to the daily running of a large household and many other activities. All under the watchful eye of Mr Fink and his experienced team.

Students are given access to the whole house where up to 50 guests can be staying at any one time. This gives them a unique experience to practice their new found skills in a real working environment. We teach everything necessary to qualify you to work in either a private house, a hotel, super yacht or cruise ship. 

You couldn’t ask for a more stunning location to learn your butling skills.  A number of scenes from the popular TV series Downton Abbey were filmed here, and you will feel like you are rubbing shoulders with those characters as you learn how to master all the traditional skills required of a modern butler.  

We offer students help with their CV's and conduct mock interviews to prepare them for interviews with future employers. We have an excellent track record of getting our students work as butlers upon completion of the  course. 

 NEW TRAINING FOR BOTH MALE AND FEMALE BUTLERS, AND HOUSEKEEPERS.

We have a superb reputation secured by many years of experience in training Household staff to become House Managers, Butlers, Lady Butlers and Housekeepers.

 Our School is known worldwide to have trained over 80 officials from Royal Palaces as well as individual members of Royal Families who have attended our courses to acquire knowledge of quality training at its highest level. In addition to this premium training which we have provided to Royalty and members of their households for many years, we are now in a position to offer a new and exclusive  range of more specialised services for those special subjects. 

We are delighted that we have now employed an Executive House Manager - Mrs Zahra Shaikh,  from one of the principal Royal Families in the world. The  training which she can provide is exclusive and carried out at the highest private service level with special expertise for Middle Eastern Royal service. This is in addition to the Traditional Butler Service taught by Mr Rick Fink whose expertise on any Household subject is unsurpassed after well over 55 years experience.

For further enquiries, email Rick Fink at https://butlervalet@aol.com or call him on +44 (0) 1993 881 087.

THE BUTLER/VALET SCHOOL ON TOUR IN CHINA AND INDIA.

In 2018 the Butler/Valet School has travelled to Chengdu and Mumbai where we were able to train large groups of prospective students for roles of House Managers and Butler Valets. In China we worked specifically with Golden Key International Alliance who own over 240 luxury hotels and private properties. Rick Fink was given the prestigious title of GKIA Head Trainer. We look forward to any other interest from private residences or hotels who may want to take this opportunity to enjoy this unique training with us. 

For further enquiries, call Rick Fink on +44 (0) 1993 881 087 or email:  bvs.domesticagency@gmail.com