Butlery: Duties of the Head Server at SCA Feasts

Butlery: Duties of the Head Server at SCA Feasts

By Thegn Eadwynne of Runedun

Published in the Tournaments Illuminated Issue 221 - First Quarter 2025

The title of Butler comes from the 13th century Old French bouteillier, from Medieval Latin butticulārius meaning bottle-bearer, the one who served the wine. The Maître d'Hôtel is a 16th century term, shortened to maître d' in American English, and comes from the French meaning, master of the house, and was given to the head steward. Another term might be Head Waiter, or Oberkellner in German. Generally these duties were in the “front room” rather than in the kitchen. For this article, I will adopt the term Butler for use in the SCA for a position generally given the unceremonious name, Head Server. Any SCA feast can be improved by the addition of a Butler to recruit and coordinate service at a feast.

The main duty of the Butler is to take care of the service in the feast hall, allowing the kitchen staff to do their jobs, and to ensure the smooth running of the feasting event. But first is the necessity of recruiting servers for the feast. I have found it most convenient to look for households who might wish to become service staff. They will generally already know each other and have a working relationship. I also like recruiting poor students because they are willing to work for food. They will be busy helping the kitchen staff and serving, and therefore not enjoy the same luxury as the feast guests. I feel that they should be allowed to participate in the event at little or no cost. Some exchequers may and do disagree with me. It is quite common for these folks to be fairly new and eager, but lacking knowledge of what to do. So it is up to the more experienced Butler to assure they are trained and comfortable in their roles. If they are trained, fed and comfortable they will tend to do a good job.

The Butler must work hand in glove with the kitchen staff to ensure a smooth operation. This demands excellent communication with the Chief Cook who has worked out a menu and menu schedule well before the feast. The Butler should acquaint themselves with the menu and schedule ahead of the event and also be aware of the general list of ingredients to avoid issues with the dietary restrictions of some of the guests. And, knowing the schedule, it helps the servers to be prepared and ready on time. The kitchen staff and Butler needs to know ahead of time if there will be a court to plan around. If alcoholic beverages are to be served, it is important to assure that the servers serving are of legal drinking age. Likewise, it is imperative that those being served are identified as also being of legal drinking age. Some events have used modern wristbands for this, although I prefer site tokens showing the status of those being served. There might be an addition of different colored beads to a site token: one color for an under age guest; another for adult guests; and perhaps another for those with dietary restrictions that need to be watched.

The Butler and servers are generally responsible for setting up the tables and arranging the hall. Most SCA feasts ask that guests provide their own table settings. If this is not the case, then the servers will likely be tasked with setting the tables as well. Either way, it is up to the Butler to assure site restrictions are upheld. For example, if open flame or outside beverages are disallowed, then the Butler has the unfortunate duty to enforce that rule. We would like to use the hall again some day.

The Butler and servers may be tasked with seating the guests and giving them welcome. All deference of course should be given to the guests at the high table where the highest ranking guest will be seated (traditionally elevated and therefore called the “high table”). On the high table should be a salt cellar. This denotes the rank of those at the high table as being “above the salt.” There will generally be a “call to the feast” either by herald, bell or trumpet, but that task might also fall upon the Butler. A traditional nicety would be for the servers to offer a small bowl of water and a towel for guests to rinse their hands before the meal. Modern health concerns and practicality may not make this a viable practice.

Once the guests are seated, the trays containing the first remove should be filled and the servers ready to serve. The herald will generally ask the ranking personages at the high table if they have announcements. This would also be the time for the Event Steward’s announcements if any. This might also be a good time to introduce the servers to those being served. Again, if there is not court herald, this duty may fall upon the Butler At the end of the announcements and any court activities, the first remove is introduced, preferably with panache and a bit of fanfare. Again this might be done by the Herald or the Butler. The high table is always served first even if only by a short pause. This is a great time for “a bit of theater” turning serving food into pageantry. Once all are served, the servers should return to the kitchen where they may be of some help to the kitchen staff. If beverages are provided during the feast, the Butler needs to ensure that the staff keep the goblets and glasses filled.

Between removes, it is always good to have some small entertainment. This may be a bit of music or even a small play. It will be up to the Butler to assure that the night moves along. Allow the guests to both eat and enjoy the entertainments, but keep things moving. Servers may be tasked in helping the scullery crew to clean between courses. It is also during this time that the next removes will be prepared for delivery to the hall. Again with pomp and ceremony, the remove is announced and presented. Repeat as necessary.

At the end of the feast there are usually more announcements and possibly a closing court. This is also the usual time that the scullery staff is presented and thanked. If there is a revel after the feast, an announcement should be made to clear the hall and the Butler will be in charge of seeing that the hall is cleared and the servers put tables and chairs away. The servers generally join the kitchen staff to assist in final clean up in hopes that all might enjoy some portion of the revel. The final duty of the Butler is to thank the servers and do a final sweep of the feast hall to assure it is in good order and report to the steward of the event.