Finding the right domestic staff agency

The right domestic agency? We can helpYou only have to look at the Butler Bureau’s domestic staff agency page to see the choice available to you as a potential employer of a butler, housekeeper, bodyguard whatever. Take into account the the Bureau only features agencies that it considers to be professionally run - if we listed every agency and consultancy out there the page would be a mile long!

It can make sense for busy employers to use an agency to run the background checks and conduct the initial interviews but should you use more than one agency in the same way that you might use more than one realtor to sell your house?

The drawback of using more than one agency is that you might find two agencies promoting the same candidates (savvy employees list themselves with more than one agency) or that you are swamped when it comes to the time when the candidates are presented to you for your final decision.

The Butler Bureau’s view is that you should use just one agency, preferably one that has been recommended to you by a satisfied client (don’t be afraid to ask for a referral or two) and if they haven’t come up with a suitable employee within a certain time frame then move on to another agency.

Employing someone to work in your home has to be right first time - there’s nothing worse than discovering a few weeks into their employment that they aren’t up to the job or that you simply don’t get on. This might not be such an issue at the office but in your own household it can be devastating.

One option you might like to consider, should the list of good employment agencies prove too daunting, is to use the Butler Bureau’s free agency finder service. The Bureau contacts what it considers the most suitable agency for the position you are seeking to fill. This might involve some or more of the following:

Our recommended agency will then contact you and deal with you directly. Should you decide the this agency is not fulfilling your needs simply inform the Bureau and we will terminate them (if you wish) and find another to continue the search for that perfect member of staff to complement your household.

Coq au Vin (as promised)

Most of my old French cook books suggest an old bird for this and I suspect this is because if you keep chickens for laying and they’re getting a bit passed it - it’s COQ AU VIN TONIGHT CHERIE!

Better that than open your coop in the morning and finding your bird dead of old age - even the French might feel a bit odd cooking that!

The only additions I’d make to this fine video are to:

1) Use a reasonable red wine - for me it’s a Cotes du Rhone
2) I use shallots rather than pearl onions
3) I buy some organic Pork Belly (wood-smoked is good) and make my own super-size lardons

Plus kill your own chicken! Once you’ve wrung its neck hang it up by its feet from, say, a washing line or get a fellow employee to firmly grab a leg in each hand - now cut its throat and catch the blood in a clean container.

This, when added very slowly, will thicken the dish (so no need for flour now) and take it to another level of taste!

Be sure to add it slowly mind as a bit too much and your sauce will solidify (yep, it’s called coagulation!) are you man or woman enough for that? If so talk to your friendly local butcher and ask how you can get some chicken or pork blood if you aren’t a chicken killer or able to get your murderous hands on a live fowl.

The acid test is to make your Coq au Vin but not to tell your guests or clients about the blood thing. Bask in the compliments as to how this was the finest meal they’ve ever had. Whether or not you spill the beans (blood!) at the end is up to you - I’d advise against it!