Tag Archives: British American Household Staffing

Luxury Lifestyle Magazine Features Anita Rogers

The Luxury Lifestyle List: Anita Rogers, Founder And CEO Of Luxury Estate Staffing Company British American Household Staffing (BAHS)

BY LLM REPORTERS ON 4TH JANUARY 2021

Anita Rogers was recently featured in the UK’s Luxury Lifestyle Magazine. Full article below or view on LuxuryLifestyleMag.co.uk.

We caught up with Anita Rogers, founder and CEO of luxury estate staffing company British American Household Staffing (BAHS), which provides nannies, governesses, chefs, butlers, housekeepers, yachts and private aviation for high-net-worth clients across London, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami.

My car of choice

Porsche. Being a gallery owner in New York [Anita Rogers Gallery], I’m a very visual person and Porsches are like works of art in my eyes. I actually don’t drive, I never learned! I lived in cities like Athens, Rome, Dublin, London and New York where driving wasn’t needed. When I moved to LA in 2018 all my friends had Porsches, they drive so smoothly and look so artistic.

My favourite holiday destination

Spetses, Greece. My father, Jack Martin Rogers, was an artist who moved to Greece in the 1960s, so I was raised there. We would always live in large, traditional mansions as the architecture was beautiful and the light was perfect for my father’s painting. As an adult I still visit Spetses for the summers and I consider it to be my homeland.

My gadget I can’t live without

The Tunable app for my harp. I was a professional opera singer for many years and my classical harp was my ‘second’ instrument. It has 47 strings so it’s impossible to tune by ear. When I finally get some well earned down time from BAHS, I spend it in my New York apartment playing my harp whilst looking out at the Empire State Building.

My go to fashion brand

Maje. Their pieces are romantic and feminine and, being an opera singer, I’m drawn to clothes that nod to traditional dresses. When I host my BAHS team for daily briefings on our household and hospitality service, I feel comfortable in Maje dresses, plus they are perfect for my gallery evenings that cater to serious art collectors so I feel their timeless style also works perfectly with my clientele.

My airline of choice

Wheels Up. They have been aviation saviours during the pandemic and their service is impeccable. I’m constantly flying from New York to LA and to London for my company’s estate assessments. Wheels Up have become our first choice when booking private jets and our most preferred when recommending to our high-net-worth clients who desire to travel in style with privacy to and from their estates that we look after.

My favourite watch brand

Cartier. My signature perfume is Cartier and so is my jewellery. Their watches are timeless, classic and elegant. I’m forever on the clock because of back to back meetings so I treasure my yellow gold Panthère De Cartier watch and it complements every outfit.

My favourite restaurant

Eleven Madison Park. I love their menu and the fact that it sits at the base of a historic Art Deco building near the Flatiron Building. It offers exquisite service and also private dining, so I often choose to meet some of my high profile BAHS clientele who come to us wanting their estates fully staffed. It’s also the perfect setting for drinks with art collectors following one of my gallery events.

My guilty pleasure

Desserts! Hot chocolate pudding with double cream and sticky toffee pudding and custard. My mum is a patisserie chef so I was raised on French and British desserts. Scott’s of London is a favourite of mine to indulge my sweet tooth when I fly back to take business meetings with my BAHS clients and staff in the UK.

My favourite way to give back

Through Restore, a non-profit to help victims of human trafficking in the US. I’ve spent time in countries like El Salvador and I can see how easily people can become vulnerable and trafficked. It’s a campaign very close to my heart.

Photo credit: Hunter Canning

Happy, Healthy & Nutritious New Year!

From the British American Household Staffing blog

by Roxanne Carrion

It’s that time of year again where we set goals and goodwill resolutions in the name of a clean slate as January 1st arrives.

While we reach for more leftovers and loosen our belts after an indulgent festive period, chances are it’s not just Christmas, but Covid pounds you’re dealing with on the scales!

I think it’s safe to say that 2020 has been more shaken and stirred than a James Bond movie. Those bursting diary planners we once carried littered with scribbled plans for lunches, classes, appointments and meetings are now thrown into a junk drawer since the abandoned pages became increasingly less inked.

Our comforting rituals and social interactions have now been on hiatus longer than the promised Friends reunion.

Our appetite for life seems to have been replaced with an appetite for several servings and midnight snacks thanks to such a stressful and emotionally charged year.

The ever mentioned social distance rule we’re constantly reminded to keep has also regrettably made its way between us and our diets!

That’s right. I’ve spent 2020 socially distancing my way from the morning healthy Nutribullet juices, my power walks around the park and the hot yoga classes I’d attend with friends.

 

Read the full post on www.bahs.com

BAHS Blog: Last Minute Gifts for Everyone on Your List

It’s been a busy year for all of us and many of us haven’t had the time to find the perfect gifts for everyone on our lists. The team here at British American Household Staffing has put together our choices for thoughtful last minute gifts that are sure to be a success, whether in person or over Zoom! Happy Holidays!

Cameo is a service that allows you to create personalized videos from celebrities, athletes, and other entertainers. With a huge range, from Santa and Buddy the Elf impersonators for children to singers like LeAnn Rimes and Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz to NFL star Brett Favre, there is sure to be something for everyone in your life. Prices range from $25 to $1,000+ depending on the celebrity; many videos are complete in less than 24 hours and delivered straight to the recipient’s mailbox.

MasterClass has a holiday special offering 2 for 1 memberships at the moment; the site offers a huge variety of streaming classes led by experts in their chosen fields. Courses include cooking with Gordon Ramsey, creativity and leadership with Anna Wintour, and acting with Natalie Portman.

 

Read the full list on www.bahs.com 

BAHS Blog: Make This Season Special with a Private Chef

As restaurants close down and we spend more time than ever at home, many families are choosing to hire private chefs, either on a permanent or seasonal basis, to make meal time a little more special. Whether you’re planning a cold weather staycation or are looking for restaurant quality meals daily in your own home, we can assist. We have chefs across the U.S. and internationally and many are ready and willing to relocate. We still have a limited number of chefs with holiday availability; contact us today to hire the chef that’s right for you.

What is a Private Chef? 

A personal or private chef is hired on either a part or full-time basis by a family or single person. According to the American Personal & Private Chef Association,

“A private chef is employed by one individual or family full time, and often lives in, preparing up to three meals per day. A personal chef serves several clients, usually one per day.”

A private chef will hold a degree from a reputable culinary school and will typically have a minimum of four years experience in a domestic setting. Their main responsibility is to prepare meals for an individual or family. They may live-in with the family to provide on-call service or plan weekly meals according to a set schedule. A common schedule for a private chef is to work mid-morning to evening in the home preparing lunch, dinner and breakfast for the next day. They will also be essential in planning any events in the home.

Read the full post on www.bahs.com.

Hiring Household Staff During the Pandemic

Written by Roxanne Carrion

I think we can all agree that 2020 will be well and truly the year that we all take a well earned deep breath! It will also be the year that forced us to reassess our lives amidst the chaos of what we could and could not control. It broke work commitments, projects, deadlines and family get-togethers. However, perhaps once the dust has settled, this year may be actually remembered as the making of us rather than the breaking of us. The year that took away our comfort, our freedom, our variety, but in return, gave us back the seclusion and space to explore new directions.

When our GPS discovers a problem up ahead, it simply re-routes to get us to where we are going. At British American Household Staffing we pride ourselves on being a navigation that can re-route you when lost or struggling to get to where you need to be.

At British American Household Staffing we make it our priority to find the silver lining in the cloud that has disrupted so many lives this year. Being one step ahead of the unpredictable nature of life, we have developed an impressive roster of reliable, responsible, and recommended staff to service your household at this crucial time more than ever.

View full post on www.bahs.com

UK’s The Daily Telegraph Features Anita Rogers and British American Household Staffing

The return of the governess… the lady’s maid… and the butler
by Celia Walden
The Daily Telegraph Saturday 28 November 2020
Anita Rogers, BAHS agency founder and CEO, invites you to take a glimpse into the strategies and success behind her premier agency and why the recent pandemic has given clients a new perspective and a desirable domain for a more manageable and comfortable life at home.

Of all the curious comebacks prompted by Covid – sourdough bread baking, pan banging (for the NHS), staycations and the expandable waistband – the return of the governess might be one of the most surprising, at least for the average Brit.

Yet according to Anita Rogers, founder and CEO of domestic staffing agency British American Household Staffing (BAHS), all any ultra-high net-worth family wants for Christmas this year is their very own stern-faced piece of Victoriana.

“We’ve always had a few governesses on our books,” says Rogers, whose 4,000-strong client base spans the globe (the majority of are in the United States, with around a fifth in Europe, mainly the the UK, Switzerland and Monaco).

“But then Covid happened, and suddenly everybody wants a governess! Which makes sense, when you think about the gaps in schooling and structure so many kids have faced over the past few months.”

If you’re conjuring up images of mature matrons in bustles, however, think again. The idea may come straight from the pages of Mary Poppins, “but 99 per cent of the time what we’re being asked for is not so much a traditional governess as a combined teacher and nanny, only with that old-school formality and maturity, and the accolades: the schooling in Switzerland or England, the previous employment in formal homes, and the emphasis on manners and etiquette.”

These days, there’s far more to being a governess than even that. “Many have either a degree in education or multiple teaching certificates in specific subjects, such as music, a language, and teaching English,” says Rogers. “Some families who hire governesses are not first-language English speakers. A governess must be able to teach written and spoken English at a high level, both for the native English speaking children under their care as well as non-native speakers.”

She continues: “Governesses typically look after school-age, preteen and teenage ranges. A governess is occasionally hired for an infant so the infant can get a head start, especially with a second language – this is not typical, though.”

So how on earth does one distinguish between nanny-teachers and the genuine article? “Let’s just say that governesses have an air about them.”

“We’ve seen an increased demand for nannies and governesses with a background in child psychology,” says Rogers. “That’s very, very popular now. It’s about checking a child’s development every step of the way and making sure that they’re hitting all the milestones.”

After more than a decade’s experience in pairing families with household staff, Rogers’s exclusive agency has earned a reputation for being able to meet every need and handle any situation.

Despite the closer bonds between key staff members and what Rogers calls “the host family”, any blurring of the lines is cautioned against. “The best nannies, housekeepers and butlers will know how important it is to become invisible. That doesn’t mean that you’re subservient, just that there are boundaries.”

A respect for those boundaries is one of the things BAHS is on the lookout for in the extensive interview and screening process their 6,000 jobseekers are forced to undergo, when everything from background to credit checks are conducted.

Oh, and should you wish to hire a light aircraft or a yacht – “hugely in demand right now because people can escape the pandemic that way” – BAHS can organise that, too.

The New York Times Features British American Household Staffing

Whom better suited to dispatch briskly with the demands of coronavirus-era child care?

by Ruth La Ferla. October 8, 2020

British American Household Staffing’s founder and CEO, Anita Rogers, as well as Kristen Reyes, BAHS’ Senior Recruiter & Estate Management Consultant, and Katherine Patterson, BAHS’ Senior Placement Specialist, were recently interviewed by The New York Times for an article on the role of governesses and nannies during COVID-19.

 

In her work as an estate manager, Kristen Reyes often finds herself fielding client requests for a special kind of child minder. “Callers will say to me, ‘Kristen, I need a modern Mary Poppins.’ Everyone knows what that means.”

It refers, Ms. Reyes went on to explain, to that old-fashioned paragon of patience, good cheer and decorum otherwise known as a governess. And, yes, she — most always a she — is back, a plucky hybrid of tutor and life coach in rising demand among affluent families scrambling to educate their offspring in the midst of a pandemic.

Excerpts below – click here to view the full article on NYTimes.com

Click here to contact us about hiring a governess for your family

 

School shutdowns and social limitations have lent their search a particular urgency. “For the past six or eight weeks we’ve been slammed with educator and governess requests, from all over the country,” said Anita Rogers, the founder and chief executive of British American Household, a domestic staffing agency.

Orders began doubling as families girded for a fall semester and the rigors of remote learning, Ms. Rogers said: “During the pandemic, we’ve done very well.”

…
The contemporary governess may work in a formal household, staffed with drivers, cooks, housekeepers and the like. But unlike a conventional nanny she is expected to provide a high-end version of home-schooling.

As often as not the job calls for a fancy pedigree that may include an advanced degree from an Ivy institution, a facility with languages, and manners that rival those of a marquise.

But the position has been democratized to some degree. ”It’s no longer exclusive to high-net-worth families,” Ms. Reyes said. During a health crisis that shows no signs of abating, two- career families will seek out a governess to function as a proxy parent to their toddlers or teenagers.
…
Ideally these days, the governess commands respect as a highly accomplished worker in a rigorously demanding job. “She is not just a stand-in for a fancy nanny, though nanny duties may be part of the job,” said Katherine Patterson, a placement specialist who worked as a governess early in her career.

“She is responsible for the child’s safety and welfare,” Ms. Patterson said. “But the role also dovetails with that of a teacher, an increasingly common scenario as the number of parents home-schooling their children continues to rise.”

Her position is nuanced, extending from a child’s education to that child’s social and emotional progress. No surprise, then, Ms. Reyes pointed out, that families now are requesting a background in child psychology or child development.

In this currently unstable climate, “kids have a lot more to learn about life at a younger age,” she said. “A governess can give a 5-year-old an outlet to talk about why they can’t see their friend or their grandparent. With Covid impacting everything, the governess is a kind of mini-therapist.”

…

Being a governess presupposes a very atypical work environment. “There’s a plethora of dos and don’ts that just wouldn’t apply to a corporate workplace,” Ms. Patterson said. She declined to describe those rules. “That,” she said elliptically, “is for another day.”

Insider: Nannies who have coronavirus antibodies are in high demand

Anita Rogers quoted in Insider article:

As more parents return to work, families have to make touch choices about childcare. 

After months of balancing jobs and childcare — without school, daycare or private caregivers — parents across the US are now making tough childcare choices as cities reopen. Employed parents need childcare in order to work, but bringing a nanny into the home also means bringing in additional exposure to the coronavirus.

That’s why some parents are taking extra precautionary measures, which may mean paying a premium rate. Some families are looking to hire nannies who have already had the disease, but it’s not a guarantee of higher pay, said Anita Rogers, CEO and founder of British American Household Staffing, an agency that places caregivers in both the UK and the US. Hiring someone who tests positive is by no means a foolproof plan either, since it’s still unknown whether people who have recovered from COVID- 19 can get reinfected.

Other families are having nannies who test negative move in with them and aren’t allowing them to leave until there is a vaccine, Rogers said. For that, nannies may be able to command higher salaries.

“This kind of intense time away from home has sparked requests for a higher compensation from the nannies,” Rogers said.

Some families are requiring frequent testing to ensure that the caregiver is and remains healthy, an extra measure some caregivers can charge more for, said Katie Provinziano, managing director of Westside Nannies — a Los Angeles childcare agency. Provinziano said that nannies who are willing to get tested frequently can get about 10% more than the average rate. On average, nannies in Los Angeles make between $25 and $35 an hour, she said.

 

View full article on Insider.com

Stay Healthy with Meal Deliveries from Top Chefs

Find_a_Personal_Chef.jpg

Staying healthy and taking care of ourselves has become more important than ever. As we shelter in place, it can be difficult to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. It’s good to stay mobile and eat right, not just for your physical health, but for you and your family’s emotional health as well.

Generic Meal Delivery versus a Dedicated Private Chef

As well as keeping us healthy, food can be a great comfort during uncertain times. With more delivery options now than ever, it can be easy to access unhealthy diets or feel overwhelmed by the number of choices. Meal planning day to day can be exhausting and monotonous.

Many great meal delivery services exist, but none provide the ease and customization of employing a private chef. Whatever your family’s varied and unique needs are, a qualified chef can cook with all of this in mind from their own kitchen and deliver fresh, healthy meals to your home.

Your private chef will take the stress out of meal planning and finding new recipes. Once your chef gets to know your family’s tastes, they can ensure your favorite comfort food is always in stock, and introduce new flavors and dishes. They will work so that the pickiest of eaters will have balanced meals and healthy diets.

Normal private chef duties that can be done remotely are:

  • Keeping informed of all food and sanitation rules
  • Menu planning based on dietary needs and preferences
  • Preparing meals to be reheated by the family later
  • Preparing healthy snacks that are easily accessible to the family between meal times

See more information on what a personal or private chef can do for you.

How Private Chefs are Cooking for Families and Staying Safe

Once we are able to move about, your chef can come to your home, prepare all meals on site, and keep your pantry stocked. Until then, however, most private chefs are preparing meals at their own homes and delivering directly to clients either with their personal vehicle or through ride sharing services.

Your chef will understand best practices from the CDC for delivering food safely. There is currently no evidence to support the transmission of COVID-19 associated with food, but it is important to keep counters and utensils clean and sterile to stop the spread from surfaces. Knowing exactly who prepared and handled your food and limiting the number of hands that transport it, can reduce risks of contamination and give you peace of mind about the food your family is enjoying.

If you’d like the dedicated service of a private chef to provide meals for your family during this time, contact our office today to connect with a recruitment specialist and begin your search.

For more information, please visit bahs.com

Travel the World from Home

As the world is home now more than ever, the travel industry has swiftly adapted and is bringing the world’s best destinations to the computer screen. The team at British American Household Staffing put together a list of recommendations for when a change of scenery is much needed. Whether you’re picking a location for a future trip, educating your little one on other cultures or just daydreaming, these virtual adventures make wonderful afternoon getaways.

 

Invite an Italian Chef into your Kitchen 

There are now plenty of ways to bring a taste of Italy into your kitchen any night of the week. We love Pasta and Live Opera in the Kitchen, one of AirBnB’s most popular online experiences; the package offers a live private pasta making class (no special tools required!) via Zoom with a chef in Florence. As a bonus, she sings opera too! Nonna Live is another excellent resource; the site offers 2-3 hour online cooking intensives led by an Italian grandmother in Rome.

If you can’t commit to a scheduled time, try Massimo Bottura’s on-demand Masterclass in Italian cooking; the owner of Osteria Francescana, the three-Michelin-star restaurant based in Modena, covers everything from basic doughs to broths, fish dishes and desserts. For a free option, NYC’s Eataly offers an online course in pasta making with Nicoletta Grippo, the chef at La Scuola di Eataly.

Take a Trip Through the Swiss Countryside

The internet offers a huge variety of virtual train trips, from the mountains of Japan to a trip on Peru’s Ferrocarril Central Andino! from Matucana to San Mateo. However, our favorite is the journey from St. Moritz, Switzerland to Tirano, Italy. Expect a huge variety of stunning sites, from small villages to dazzling blue water and gorgeous mountain views. The virtual trips are great educational tools for curious children or for adults looking to unwind.
Visit the Beaches of Bermuda 

Google Earth’s Discover feature makes it easy to virtually explore a destination while learning about the culture, local customs and more. We love the tours of Bermuda, which allow virtual visitors to discover the pink sand beaches, crystal caves and historic villages.

Wildlife Encounters

Explore.org has the largest selection of wildlife live cameras on the internet. With options ranging from the Tau Waterhole in South Africa to a penguin beach to puppy playtime, there is sure to be something for every child missing the outdoors.

 

Meditate with a Buddhist Monk
A Japanese Buddhist monk from Osaka’s Shitennoji Temple is now offering an online meditation class via Zoom set among the lush forests of Japan. Prices start at $10 per session with no minimum number of sessions.

 

Family Crafts in Barcelona

Transport your family to a small village with few more than 200 inhabitants in in the middle of Spain’s Montseny Natural Park with this AirBnB experience. There you’ll be told ancient legends and led in a simple family-friendly craft project using common household supplies.

Visit Hogwarts
For Harry Potter fans of all ages, Google Earth offers tours of the real life locations used in the Harry Potter films. For young wizards in training, we recommend this Harry Potter Digital Escape Room created by Pennsylvania’s Peters Township Public Library. Finally, J.K. Rowling herself has helped launch Wizarding World, a “Harry Potter at Home Hub,” featuring free puzzles, quizzes, activities and more related to the series.
As always, we’re here to assist with all your household staffing needs during this challenging time. Both childcare and cleaning professionals are considered essential workers and we have implemented strict protocols to make sure your family is as safe as possible. Contact us today to learn more.