If you want to know exactly what great butler service entails... students in the International Butler Academy China in Chengdu city have the answer.

With the number of wealthy Chinese steadily rising, the demand for qualified and affordable butlers in China is increasing too. The school is busy training the next generation of butlers to keep up with the trend. 

Students are taught attention to detail is everything when it comes to serving, keeping in mind that “butler service is technical skills plus energy, passion and commitment.”

But before China's next generation of top-class butlers can put on their white gloves and get down to setting the table with silverware, they must first master what many might consider a more fundamental task... Smiling.

Ms. Xie is one of the students learning in the school, she said, "Spreading happiness is important, I came here not only to learn skills, but also to try to become more outgoing. I've watched "Downton Abbey" about the lives of well-to-do families and their servants. What we learned in our butler-training classes is very similar to the episodes of the series."

The school's courses include at least fifteen hours of training a day, six days a week, in order to prepare students for the gruelling schedules that they’ll have in their future posts.

Florian Lange, a senior instructor at the International Butler Academy said, "The beginning salaries will be 2,500 to 3,000 euros a month. It's rising on the responsibilities she or he has. The main skills a butler needs to obtain is mostly soft skills, they need to be loyal, they need to be trust-worthy, if you combine these values within your character, then you can start learning those technical skills, such as table service, household management and certain rules of etiquette and protocol."

Students also learn how to choose a good Chinese liquor, and how to properly serve Chinese cuisine.

But just as important as the practical skills is the mindset that butlers must cultivate when working long hours for their employer.

Karen Xiao, Director of Training and Executive Head Butler said, "In today's society, butlers are not just butlers. They don't only serve things; they play many different kinds of roles in the home. "

There has been a surge in demand among China's wealthy business elite for western-trained butlers. 

But the market is still young, and potential clients "still need educating" with regards to the differences between a butler and a personal assistant or household manager.